Festival Programs
Festival Sponsored and Participant-led activities
Sponsored Rituals
Please note that all ritual presenters donate their time and energy to put on the Opening, Closing and Main Rituals for all of us to enjoy. They are not paid to present, it is their gift to the community and in service to the Goddess. Please be respectful during the rituals.
If you are interested in presenting a ritual at future Festivals, please let a Council Member know of your intentions and you will be notified once the selection process has happened. Selection usually takes place in September after the festival.
Opening Ritual
Cleanses, Grounds, Calls in the directions and the Goddess, and sets the sacred space and tone for the festival. The Priestess does not dismiss the Goddess or the Directions.
Main Ritual
Frequently a magical working is planned. Sometimes planned collaboratively at the festival and led by one or a group or coven of women. Watch for ritual workshops if you want to be involved.
Closing Ritual
Grounds the space and attendees, Thanks the directions, Dismisses the Goddess, Grounds Energy for the drive home, and say goodbye to each other and the land until next year.
The sponsored activities listed below may not occur every year.
Whether these activities happen depends on someone volunteering to hold the ceremonies and rituals
Festival Sponsored Activities
- Amazon Training Workshop and Ritual.
- Maiden Activities and Ritual
- Girls Activities
- -- read about Maidens at Elderflower.
- Mother Workshop and Crowning Ritual
- -- includes opportunities for Mothers to share wisdom and ideas
- -- read about the Mother phase.
- Priestess Gathering and wisdom sharing.
Crone Program
- Honoring of the Crones
- Crone Meeting and Croning Ritual
- -- read More about Crones at Elderflower
Talent Show
- Friday evening we gather together in the dining hall to have fun and entertain each other with our special talents.
- Performance art, gifts of humor and musical skills, storytelling, and poetry.
- Bring your best to share!
Workshops, Rituals & Activities led by attendees
Attendees share ideas, knowledge, and wisdom with each other. These activities can include (but are not limited to):
Arts and Crafts
Making useful or decorative objects, musical instruments, toys, charms, jewelry, use of found objects, collage, expressive art based on dreams, emotions or symbols.
Discussions
Activism, cultural and spiritual diversity, social change, political, class issues, life passages, personal identity; ecology; lifestyle; networking, etc.
Dreaming
Explore your dreams, lucid dreams, dream analysis.
Movement
Dance and Body speaking, self defense, martial arts, folk/ethnic dance, ritual movement, moving meditation, body language and energy work, games and sports.
Writing
Journaling, poetry, prose, writing exercises and games. Reading and sharing work.
Music and Drumming
Songs, chants, song writing, power of music in spirituality, teaching percussion, drumming circle.
Natural Healing
Herbalism, homeopathy, aromatherapy, flower essences, massage, bodywork, laying on of hands, healing with crystals and crystal grids, movement therapy, rituals for recovery from trauma or addiction, life passages rituals, body image and sexuality discussions and ritual.
Nature Study
Plant identification walks, bird watching, moonlight hike, star gazing, geology.
Psychic Skills
Meditation, telepathy, visualization, aura sensing, dowsing; divination; scrying in water, mirrors or stones, tarot, rune or other forms of casting; group dreaming circle, past life regression, angel and animal powers/guides/allies, tree, plant and animal communication; crystal communication; drum journey circle (shamanic work), soul retrieval.
Religion & Spirituality
Mythology, Herstory – archetypes, ancestors, myths on a particular theme, Goddess art and lore, historical women’s movements. Short Rituals – teaching or sharing short rituals with others.
Magical Arts and Mysticism
Magical practices, spells, candle and mirror magic, altars, making & charging magical objects, manifesting magic; Occult teachings, Western, Eastern and other mystery traditions.