Harvestfest Main Index Page and Introduction

About Harvestfest

Merry Meet!

The wheel has turned once again and the Harvestide season is upon us. The fields have ripened, the grain has been brought in, and the Earth offers up Her abundance. Work and love have brought fruition. Tears and sacrifice have brought us hope. Now we celebrate as the year wanes and we dance with corn and with blade.

There will be sweat lodges to purify the soul, workshops to educate and share experiences. We will worship in Circle with Castalia and "call the pagans home" and Bob and Diane will demonstrate and teach us about Morris dancing, an ancient Pagan fertility dance still practiced to this day. There will be lots of other workshops.

During the day in the dining hall, we will carve pumpkins to light the way and on Saturday night, after
decorating and dressing Him with our offerings, we will once again, revere and sacrifice the Corn King.
Mary Anderson will host a Celtic harp concert by the fireplace in the great room and, of course, an all
ages fire will be available for the younger crowd while the main fire-pit will continue until dawn.

We will go on mushroom walks with Laurie Benson and harvest medicinal roots (come prepared), listen to Castalia in concert; We will make corn dollies the traditional way and learn to bake John Barleycorn in
the kitchen.

On Sunday night, the Dragon Ritual Drummers will be playing a concert and hosting a CD release party for their fourth CD. The sacred space and fire pit of Harvest Fest/Wic-Can Fest was the first pagan festival fire pit they played at, and their fire pit show has now become their trademark in North America. The DRD have not played and shared at a Canadian pagan fire pit in over a year, so it will be a special night for them, full circle in a time when their music has hit world status. The show will be recorded audibly and on videotape for their DVD due for release in the winter. Privacy will be respected for the revelers around the fire while the show is being taped. We will have a great party with lots of giveaways and prizes. See you all there!

Blessed Be!

Meals and Food

Meals can be purchased on site for a nominal fee. All meals are vegetarian with meat as an option. Please try to bring your own dining service (plate, bowl, utensils, cup) to cut down on clean up time. Remember your brothers and sisters who volunteer to do dishes would like to party with you instead. Also please note that we cannot accommodate special diets.

Accomodations

The site has plenty of space for camping, some in the open and some in wooded areas. There are limited spaces for RV’s with electrical hookups, so please let us know if you intend to use these facilities as you register. We also have a limited number of cabin spaces available. We are giving priority to people with babies and people with health problems. Please make sure to send in your request as early as possible as they will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis. Cabins are shared with others (bunk beds), so if you wish a "same sex" cabin or are bunking with specific people, please inform us. Those staying in cabins should bring their own bedding supplies (sleeping bag/blankets, pillow, etc.) Indoor space can only be reserved by pre-paying the full fee.

Volunteering

Harvestfest cannot run without the time and efforts of those who so generously donate their time. We ask that everyone sign up for at least a two hour block of time in one of our work areas. We are always appreciative of help in the kitchen, children’s program, maintenance, programming and security (must be 18 for security). Upon arrival everyone must sign up when registering on site at the administration building.

Merchants and Vending

We provide space free-of-charge to merchants and vendors who whish to sell their wares and crafts. Over the years, our "Merchant's Row" has grown considerably, and there is usually a wide and varied array of interesting things to see and buy.

Children's Activities

Harvestfest is a more family oriented festival where both children and adults can share in the activities. As is now customary at Harvestfest, many of our planned activities will center on the construction of "The Corn King" to be used in the festival's main ritual on Saturday Evening. If you are interested in trying your hand at some pumpkin carving we will provide the tools you need including the pumpkins themselves. All carved pumpkins are entered in to the "Pumpkin Carving Contest" with prizes being awarded to the winners.

Please Note

	Those not pre-registered will be admitted on a first-come-first-serve basis .
	Harvestfest is a private gathering and as such reserves the right to refuse admission at our discretion.
	Video cameras are prohibited on site, and will be confiscated.
	Please make arrangements to leave your pets and familiars at home since they are not permitted on the festival grounds. Guests arriving with their pets will unfortunately have to be turned away. If necessary, please contact the address below to make arrangements for your pet. Note: seeing eye dogs are exempted from this policy.

Kyon Complete Boarding

RR 4, Shelburne, Ontario

519) 925-6114

kyonkennels@atconnex.net

If the spirit moves you, we are always interested in new rituals and workshops. If you have something you would like to share, please submit a proposal with your registration form or contact Anne Marie via the link on the registration page. Remember that all workshops and rituals performed on our site during the festival must first be cleared with Programming to ensure there are no conflicts with pre-scheduled programming.