Panfest 2006
On the August long weekend, Heather Dawn, Jen, Catherine, and I attended PanFest. It was a lovely but wild site, with skunks roaming the woods, bats flickering in the night (I encountered both), swimmer’s itch in the lake, and gawking non-pagans on it. Just over 100 people attended, mostly from the Edmonton area, sharing bunk-bed space in heated eight-person cabins.
Although the weather was somewhat ugly on Friday night, things warmed up and dried out enough to make Panfest’s vaunted clothing-optional an option. There was a small labyrinth laid out in tape on the grass. Aphrodite’s temple was rousingly dedicated. The resident gurus held court, the newbies gushed. Edmonton’s Raven’s Call, a musical duo, performed.
Response to the weekend was generally positive, but I do have a few kvetches. Programming suffered from Pagan Standard Time, the lack of session leaders from other areas, and the non-appearance of essential personnel. There was children’s programming, but as so often happens, some parents confused that with childcare. The demonstration rituals were short on content, consisting mainly of circle castings, a spiral dance, and perhaps cakes and ale. Still, that may be a useful tip for our appearances at Pagan Pride Days to come. The kitchen had the benefit of the management of a professional chef, so the meals (if somewhat limited in variety) were nutritious, good-tasting, and vegan-friendly. I do take full responsibility for the muffins on Monday morning, and promise never to do that again.
Although the weather was somewhat ugly on Friday night, things warmed up and dried out enough to make Panfest’s vaunted clothing-optional an option. There was a small labyrinth laid out in tape on the grass. Aphrodite’s temple was rousingly dedicated. The resident gurus held court, the newbies gushed. Edmonton’s Raven’s Call, a musical duo, performed.
Response to the weekend was generally positive, but I do have a few kvetches. Programming suffered from Pagan Standard Time, the lack of session leaders from other areas, and the non-appearance of essential personnel. There was children’s programming, but as so often happens, some parents confused that with childcare. The demonstration rituals were short on content, consisting mainly of circle castings, a spiral dance, and perhaps cakes and ale. Still, that may be a useful tip for our appearances at Pagan Pride Days to come. The kitchen had the benefit of the management of a professional chef, so the meals (if somewhat limited in variety) were nutritious, good-tasting, and vegan-friendly. I do take full responsibility for the muffins on Monday morning, and promise never to do that again.
posted by Stephen Hergest at 9:08 pm
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