Preparing for the HexenFest

Attending FaerieCon West, a transformational festival of art, spirit, and myth, brings to mind how modern Pagans are also building arts-focused events. In California, Sharon Knight and Winter of the band Pandemonaeon, along with fashion designer Anaar, are organizing the first of what they hope will become a yearly festival dedicated to magick-based music and dance entitled “HexenFest.”

“Hexenfest offers an evening of entertainment and revelry based on magick and a dark sensual aesthetic –both visual and aural– at the Oakland Metro performing arts venue on 630 Third Street, in Oakland, CA 94607, on Friday night March 9th, 2012.”

The inaugural HexenFest will feature musical performances from Pandemonaeon, and The RaZor Skyline, an ecstatic devotional dance performance by Morpheus Ravenna, and a Tombo Studio Fashion show with Anaar and models (oh, and I’ll also be there DJing and MCing the event). To ensure a launch that will fiscally sustainable, and create the momentum needed to make this more than a one-off event, the organizers are holding a fundraiser at Indie GoGo. At the fundraising page, Sharon explains why HexenFest is unique, and important for West Coast Pagans to support.

“Hexenfest will be the first Pagan/Pagan-friendly festival focused on music and the arts in California that we know of. In traveling to festivals all over the country, Winter and I have found that there is far more going on in terms of Mythic faires, Faery festivals, and Pagan festivals on the East Coast than there is on the West Coast. We aspire to change that.

This campaign is intended to launch what we hope will be an annual festival dedicated to quality Pagan/Pagan-friendly music, art, & dance –  i.e.themes based in myth, legend, folkloric tradition, earth spirituality, fairytale, and the like. We feel the demand is here, especially in the Bay Area. If you would like to see such an event happen every year, this is your chance to help make it real.”

The donations page allows you to buy advance tickets to the show, or donate a larger sum to get special VIP treatment along with exclusive perks.

While there are many Pagan events that feature musical acts, and cultural events that are certainly Pagan-friendly, there are relatively few Pagan events that solely concentrate on music and art that originates from within our interconnected communities. Part of the reason I signed up to participate in HexenFest, even though I don’t live in California, is because I want to see us support our artists, and create new avenues and venues for them to play, perform, and exhibit in. I’m hoping that the first HexenFest leads not only to many more HexenFests, but to more events and opportunities in general for Pagan musicians, designers, and artists. If you live in or near California, or if you simply want to send a message of support, I hope you’ll consider donating to this worthy effort.

See you in Oakland, California on March 9th!