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Event
Wheel of the Year Beltane 2018
Greetings Friends, Neighbors, Family, and Arch Nemesis's,
It is my great pleasure to share with you all that the Asheville Wheel of the Year will have its very first Beltane Celebration on May 4th thru May 6th. This event will be held on 50 acres of privately owned land that has been waiting for its first celebration since being purchased a few years ago in Barnardsville, NC. I am honored and very happy that this central community event is going to be held on this particular piece of land that is being stewarded by the folks who are welcoming us to gather on their home site to celebrate Spring's Arrival.
This exact time last year I was deeply distressed and concerned about how our local Beltane was shaping up for 2017.
Between then and now I have done some thinking. I have spent time talking with those folks that share my perspective, and also have listened to those that disagree with me. I have done this to educate myself and find a way forward for this event that works for me, this years organizers, and most importantly for this community.
Here is what we have come up with as house rules so far:
1. This Event is a 100% inclusive in all spaces and ceremony to (Y'all) all gender(s), ages, ethnicity, religions, financial, and physical abilities. Y'all means Y'all. Period.
2. Any words or deeds observed to be done in violence will not be tolerated at this event. There will be an organizer meeting that will invite the community to help assess any situations that may occur. Violence will not be supported or enabled by this organizing group or the Land Owners at this event.
3. This is a Full Family Friendly event. All Ages are welcome to observe and participate in any way they feel. There will be times and spaces where children will be requested to not attend. We as a community will make an agreement on what that looks like on Saturday afternoon.
4. The Main ceremony fires for this event are requested to be a safe ceremonial space first and foremost. This space can get charged with intense primal energy at times as the energy of Spring flows around and through us all. A safe ceremonial space needs to be free of many things for every one to feel safe. Sexual predation / victim posturing energy and pressure from being included or excluded in these explorations is not welcome in this space for this event. A unwelcome and intense energy can be created when people start to explore / exploit this energy in a group that is not all in enthusiastic agreement with these explorations. If a person or people find they want to explore the magic of Beltane deeper than this request allows, they are invited to find a spot on the bare earth, out side of the main fire's light (in some kind of privacy away from Family Camp?) and get down. All the way down in your own space and time in a way that others are not forced to be aware of or be included/excluded from your explorations. We as a community will make an agreement on what that looks like on Saturday.
5. Each Ceremony piece (Pole Harvest, Hole Preparation, Bael Fire Lighting, etc...) will be created by those on site. All ceremonies are now community experience driven. No one person will be the holder of the knowledge on how to get down in a ceremonial style any longer. This event is ours to create and celebrate as a community.
There will be no May King or May Queen selection at this event. When I looked at my personal experiences and distilled what was most important to me I found that dancing the community May Pole, having the long table feast, and dancing around the fire until the suns first light are the most nourishing and fulfilling parts I want to support going forward. I personally have always seen the choosing of the May King and Queen as a popularity contest at best and a divisive practice that gives two people recognition that I feel we can all hold in our heart this time of year. This is a fertility celebration and observation at it's root. The feeling that we all are May Kings and Queens has been missing and this year we would like to have an event that makes room for that.
There will be three Bael Fires this year. One for the Male, one for the Female, and one for All Others. We will circle around them all and celebrate them each equally as a community.
As a long time organizer of the Asheville Beltane celebration and as 15-year member of this community, myself and this years organizers offer this to you, our community, in peace.
If this does not sound like a Beltane celebration you want to support there are a few other celebrations happening locally that may suit your expectations better. Please do not consider attending this event if what you have read does not resonate with you. Thank you for your understanding.
I personally invite everyone to do what they like, with whom they like, where ever they like to do it, with enthusiastic consent, intense listening, and stunning style.
-Trey
On to the details:
Ticket Prices:
Children under the age of 12 years of age are our guests.
People 12 to 18 years of age are $15 to $20
People 18 to 60 years of age are $30 to $40
People 60 to 200 years of age are $15
Saturday and Sunday Day Passes available by request.
***Please Note:
The Price is more this year as it is our first year and we have more overhead than normal. Next year we will have the funds from this year to bring the ticket cost back down to the $15 - $20 for Adults range we feel. Thank you for understanding.
There are camp needs that you can pay for all or part of your ticket with.
Such as:
Event Logistics Team-
Serve on set up crew
Serve on break down crew
Serve on Pre-Event Work Days (we really need this service. April 21st and 28th 12pm to 5pm please)
Serve with your 4x4 to run people and gear to and from parking to camping.
--Please send an email to:
2018Beltane@gmail.com
saying you would like to join this team to offset the cost of your ticket or to donate any of these items to this event. Thank you.
Kitchen Team-
Serve as a Kitchen Helper and work with Trey to make the kitchen flow.
Serve as a Kitchen Clean Up Crew
Bring part or all of -
-60lbs of protein (with out bones)
-2 Gallons of Coleslaw
-2 Gallons of Baked Beans
-10 Heads of Romaine (or other leafy green equivalent)
-10 Dozen eggs
-15lbs of Bacon
-40lbs of Onions
-50lbs of Potato
-20lbs of Celery
-20lbs of Carrot
-15lbs of Cabbage
-15 loaves of bread
-7lbs of butter
-1 gallon of Olive Oil
- 1 Large container of Coconut Oil
Extra Large cast iron pots and skillets
Long Folding Tables
Large Wash Bins
Large Camp Stoves
Full Propane Tanks
--Please send an email to:
2018Beltane@gmail.com
saying you would like to join this team to offset the cost of your ticket or to donate any of these items to this event. Thank you.
Support Team-
Serve as a Greeter
Serve as a Fire Keeper
Serve as a Water Barer
Serve as a Drummer / Musician
Serve as a First Aide Provider
Serve as a Tea Server
--Please send an email to:
2018Beltane@gmail.com
saying you would like to join this team to offset the cost of your ticket or to donate any of these items to this event. Thank you.
What your ticket Pays for:
3 nights primitive but supported camping
1 seat at the Long Table Meal Saturday Night
1 seat at Community Brunch Sunday Morning
1 space at the Sunday Morning Ecstatic Dance
The ribbon we use for the May Pole to dance with
All the spring water you can drink for the weekend
Large, Hot, Community Fires
Access to 50 acres of true Appalachian Beauty to wonder through for the weekend
Access to plug into the event how you see fit
Satisfaction in supporting this local event
Supporting the Land Owners in their care and stewardship of this land.
Please bring your own:
Camping Set up
Favorite Caffeine Drinks and their support materiel (Cream, 1/2and1/2, Sugar, Honey etc..)
Mug or Glass
Bowl or Plate with Spoon and Fork
Large Personal Water Containers
Head Lamps
Tarps for Tents
Rain Gear if Necessary
There will be four Camping Options:
1. Car Camp CreekSide in Parking Lot (almost private space in view of road)
2. Family Camping Area (easy in and out next to flowing spring fed creek, good flat ground, private space)
3. Hammock Camping, many, many choice spots for hammock camping.
4. Rowdy Camp (most difficult to get to, very private space) no one will care how loud this camp is all night long.
There will be a release form every one must sign or have signed for them (minors).
There will be agreements on that form pertaining to violence, consent, safety, responsibilities, and rights for each person and the land.
This years Beltane festival schedule of events looks like this-
Friday May 4th-
Folks arrive and get settled in starting at 1pm until 6pm.
Community Pot Luck 7pm till 8pm
Evening Circle 8pm
Community fire for stories, songs, games, and quiet reflection together.
Saturday May 5th -
10:30am light breakfast (Hot Water provided by Main Kitchen)
11:30am till 1:30 May Pole Gathering, Arbor Building, and Hole Preparation
1:30pm until 3pm Ribbon Preparation
3:30 pm until 4:30pm dance the May Pole
4:30 to 6pm siesta time
Dinner at 6pm until 7:30pm (Main Kitchen Provided)
Clean up Dinner / Prep the Bael Fires and Dancing space 7:30pm to 8pm
Rest until 9pm then Drum and Dance around the Fires until sunrise.
Sunday May 6th -
Community Brunch 10am (Main Kitchen Supported)
Live Music Ecstatic Dance on a forest floor dance floor from 11:30 till 1pm
1:30pm till 5pm Land Work day, light supper included.
And that will be that. We hope you join us.
Thank you for reading this all the way through, we all really appreciate your time and attention. As a community we will create our new ceremonies and path ways to celebrate in a good way, together.
With respect,
Trey and the organizers
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LocationPrivate Land
Address Provided with Purchase
Barnardsville, NC 28709
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: Yes! |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: No |
| Wheelchair Accessible: No |
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