{"id":25190,"date":"2022-03-08T03:00:22","date_gmt":"2022-03-08T09:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/johnbeckett\/?p=25190"},"modified":"2022-03-06T19:00:56","modified_gmt":"2022-03-07T01:00:56","slug":"returning-to-festivals-its-good-to-be-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/johnbeckett\/2022\/03\/returning-to-festivals-its-good-to-be-back.html","title":{"rendered":"Returning To Festivals \u2013 It\u2019s Good To Be Back"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

I spent Saturday at Austin Witchfest<\/a> in Austin, Texas. I talked to people, some of whom I hadn\u2019t seen in two years and some of whom I had never met. I signed books. I gave a presentation. I took some pictures.<\/p>\n

This was the first large Pagan gathering I\u2019ve attended since Witchfest 2020 \u2013 the weekend before the Covid restrictions started. It was the first time I spoke in front of a live assembly since Mystic South in July 2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It was good to be back.<\/p>\n

Really good.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve done what we had to do to take care of ourselves, and especially the more vulnerable members of our community. Denton CUUPS went 18 months without an in-person ritual. During that time we produced video rituals so we could continue to worship our Gods and celebrate the seasons together. I created a year\u2019s worth of video rituals<\/a> \u2013 some with CUUPS and some solitary. We did some private work \u2013 six of us gathered for Samhain 2020.<\/p>\n

Last year we began to return to in-person rituals. We had 15 people at Lughnasadh and about the same at the Fall Equinox. We had 50 at Samhain \u2013 that was wonderful.<\/p>\n

But local rituals are one thing \u2013 large gatherings are another. Witchfest is like a mega Pagan Pride Day \u2013 classes and workshops, a keynote speaker, music and entertainment, vending and food. It\u2019s mostly outdoors, but it\u2019s still 800 or so people from all over the region (and a few flying in from other places). The organizers were wise \u2013 and responsible \u2013 to cancel last year\u2019s event.<\/p>\n

Now things have changed. Vaccines are widely available, and while they aren\u2019t 100% effective, they greatly reduce the risk of serious illness or death. The omicron spike is pretty much over, at least in the US. Covid-19 will never be gone, but speaking for myself, I\u2019m comfortable being in large gatherings again.<\/p>\n

A warm and windy day in Texas<\/h2>\n

I only had one presentation to give, and it was mid-afternoon. Derrick Land and the other Witchfest organizers set me up with a canopy, table, and chairs. So I hung my flags, set up my books, and waited to see who would come by. And of course, they did.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Chris Allaun and me<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the first people I met was Chris Allaun, the keynote speaker. Chris is originally from Texas but now lives in Chicago. We had a great conversation about how good teachers learn from each other \u2013 and we share an admiration for Ivo Dominguez, Jr.<\/a> (who was not at Witchfest but who I\u2019m planning to see at Mystic South in July). Michelle Gruben of Grove and Grotto<\/a> was vending across the road from me. We spent a couple minutes catching up before her booth got busy. We\u2019re going to reconnect at Mystic South (this is supposed to be a Witchfest review, not a Mystic South promo, but it came up numerous times during the day).<\/p>\n

Lots more people stopped by. A few I knew, some I only knew online, and many were new acquaintances. I\u2019m an introvert who still doesn\u2019t do well with small talk, but I always enjoy talking about the kind of topics that come up at an event like Witchfest.<\/p>\n

I never know how many books to take to events like this. Since I was driving and there was plenty of room in the car, I took all I had. I sold over half of them \u2013 I\u2019m happy with that. If you bought one, know that I\u2019m grateful for your support and I wish you well as you work through them.<\/p>\n

Talking about the Morrigan<\/h2>\n

My presentation was \u201cThe Morrigan: An Introduction to the Great Queen.\u201d Witchfest is a very broad, high-level Pagan event \u2013 lots of different people with different ideas about what Paganism and witchcraft are, and what they want it to be. I was a little nervous about presenting something so explicitly religious. But this is what I do, and this is Who I serve.<\/p>\n

The turnout was good. And while there were a few people who got a couple minutes into it and decided to leave (which is fine \u2013 this isn\u2019t for everyone), most people stayed to the end.<\/p>\n

I started by explaining that I\u2019m a polytheist and my experiences are grounded in polytheism. I talked about the different Morrigans \u2013 I encouraged people to follow the scholarship, but also to embrace the mystery of the multiplicity of the Gods. I told two of the stories of the Morrigan in Irish lore. And then I talked about my own experiences of Her, and how She\u2019s been calling people to Her service for over ten years (that I know of).<\/p>\n

After the presentation, a few people wanted to talk about their own experiences of the Morrigan \u2013 I always love hearing those stories.<\/p>\n

If you were in that presentation \u2013 or if you weren\u2019t \u2013 and you didn\u2019t get the list of books I recommended, here\u2019s a review of one of them<\/a>. The rest are listed in the \u201cOther Morrigan Resources\u201d section at the bottom of that post.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
talking about the Morrigan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There\u2019s no substitute for in-person festivals<\/h2>\n

Last summer I wrote The Future of Online Pagan Events Post-Covid<\/a>. I was a bit early with that \u2013 the delta and omicron spikes were yet to come. But I still see things much the same as I saw them then. We learned a lot about online events, and we need to continue doing some of them.<\/p>\n

Classes do better online. I\u2019m finishing up teaching Intermediate Spiritual Practice, and while there are things that would have been easier to present in person, there\u2019s probably nobody who\u2019s taking the class who could come to me for seven weeks of in-person instruction.<\/p>\n

Concerts are great for a hybrid approach \u2013 both in-person and online. My musician friends have missed playing live as much as I\u2019ve missed teaching live (probably more) and there\u2019s nothing like hearing live music. Having an online option means more people can share in the experience \u2013 and more people can buy tickets to support their favorite musicians.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s no substitute for holding conferences, conventions, and festivals in-person. There\u2019s nothing like being able to see and hear and touch (with consent \u2013 especially if I\u2019m involved) other people, and then enjoy simply being Pagan for a couple of days.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
a witches\u2019 broom dance at Austin Witchfest 2022<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It was so good to be back<\/h2>\n

We aren\u2019t \u201cback to normal.\u201d There is no \u201cnormal\u201d to go back to. I understand that some people will never feel safe in a large public gathering again. We all have different risk factors and different tolerance for risk. I will miss you, and I will do my part to stay in touch online. But for most of us, it\u2019s time to resume our large festivals.<\/p>\n

I had a great time at Austin Witchfest. I appreciate the invitation, the hospitality, and the opportunity to speak.<\/p>\n

And I look forward to many more.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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