Free Spirit Alliance
Encyclopedia
The Free Spirit Alliance (FSA) is a non-profit spiritual networking organization serving the Pagan
and Pantheist communities. Founded on May 21, 1986 and based in the Mid-Atlantic
area of the USA, the Alliance's focus has been on presenting regional and local events where people from diverse backgrounds can learn and share ideas. Its promotional literature and website state that the organization has striven to develop a national reputation for being willing to work with often sensitive and personal issues in a friendly and safe environment.
FSA’s main events are its sacred sexuality Beltane Festival (held over five days at Beltane
in May) and the Free Spirit Gathering, held in June. It has also run a retreat event in the fall but this is currently on hiatus. All of these are currently held at a private campground near Darlington, Maryland
.
The Free Spirit Gathering is by far the organization's largest event, attracting people from as far away as Washington, California
, Hawaii
, Texas
, Minnesota
and Canada
. It is one of the oldest Pagan festivals in the country, celebrating its 25th year in 2010, and in peak years has had an attendance of over 800 people.
The Free Spirit Alliance also hosts the unique, adults-only Sacred Sexuality Beltane
Festival, which for several years following its inception the only festival of its type in the country. Smaller in size than FSG, Beltane attracts about 350 people each spring.
FSA also sponsors several other smaller events and rituals in the Washington, DC and Maryland
areas.
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
and Pantheist communities. Founded on May 21, 1986 and based in the Mid-Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
area of the USA, the Alliance's focus has been on presenting regional and local events where people from diverse backgrounds can learn and share ideas. Its promotional literature and website state that the organization has striven to develop a national reputation for being willing to work with often sensitive and personal issues in a friendly and safe environment.
FSA’s main events are its sacred sexuality Beltane Festival (held over five days at Beltane
Beltane
Beltane or Beltaine is the anglicised spelling of Old Irish Beltaine or Beltine , the Gaelic name for either the month of May or the festival that takes place on the first day of May.Bealtaine was historically a Gaelic festival celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.Bealtaine...
in May) and the Free Spirit Gathering, held in June. It has also run a retreat event in the fall but this is currently on hiatus. All of these are currently held at a private campground near Darlington, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
.
The Free Spirit Gathering is by far the organization's largest event, attracting people from as far away as Washington, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is one of the oldest Pagan festivals in the country, celebrating its 25th year in 2010, and in peak years has had an attendance of over 800 people.
The Free Spirit Alliance also hosts the unique, adults-only Sacred Sexuality Beltane
Beltane
Beltane or Beltaine is the anglicised spelling of Old Irish Beltaine or Beltine , the Gaelic name for either the month of May or the festival that takes place on the first day of May.Bealtaine was historically a Gaelic festival celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.Bealtaine...
Festival, which for several years following its inception the only festival of its type in the country. Smaller in size than FSG, Beltane attracts about 350 people each spring.
FSA also sponsors several other smaller events and rituals in the Washington, DC and Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
areas.