The Pagan Spirit Gathering (PSG) is one of the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

's oldest and largest nature spirituality festivals, organized by Circle Sanctuary

Circle Sanctuary

Circle Sanctuary is a non-profit organization and legally recognized Wiccan Church based in southwestern Wisconsin, USA. Circle is the publisher of Circle Magazine, which has approximately 15,000 subscribers...

. Since its inception in 1980 it has been held from Sunday to Sunday during the week around Summer Solstice

Summer solstice

The summer solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet's semi-axis in a given hemisphere is most inclined towards the star that it orbits. Earth's maximum axial tilt to our star, the Sun, during a solstice is 23° 26'. Though the summer solstice is an instant in time, the term is also...

.

At first, the festivals were held at in Grant County

Grant County, Wisconsin

Grant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 49,597. Its county seat is Lancaster. Estimates for 2008 show a population of 49,238...

 Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

, but it outgrew the facilities and in 1997 moved to a location near Athens

Athens, Ohio

Athens is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Athens County, Ohio, United States. It is located along the Hocking River in the southeastern part of Ohio. A historic college town, Athens is home to Ohio University and is the principal city of the Athens, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area. ...

, Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

 at Wisteria. In 2009, PSG moved to Camp Zoe near Salem, Missouri

Salem, Missouri

-External links:* * Historic maps of Salem in the at the University of Missouri...

. In 2011, PSG management announced its new location at Stonehouse Park near Earlville, Illinois

Earlville, Illinois

Earlville is a city in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,822 as of the 2008 census estimate. It is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Earlville is located at ....

.

Rituals

Many rituals take place regularly at PSG , including:

• Summer Solstice Sun Morning Ritual - on Solstice morning
• Mens' and Women's' Rituals - Rituals celebrating divine masculinity and femininity
• Croning Ritual
• Sacred Hunt
• Tribal Drum & Dance Ritual
• Young Women's' Rite of Passage
• Young Mens' Rite of Passage

Children, tweens, and young elders

PSG has extensive youth programming, grouped into three categories. The Children's Center serves those under 7 year old. A full range of guided activities are provided for the Tweens (8-12), and the Young Elders (13-18) have a Teen Center with snacks and other amenities. Workshops are listed with age limits and other recommendations for participants. Most workshops are open to Young Elders, and many are open to Tweens and children. Minors can also have limited access to fire spinning activities if they get permission from their guardian(s) and complete the safety training seminar.

Safety & rules

The PSG registration process includes agreeing to abide by rules set down by Circle Sanctuary, mostly for the safety and health of the participants. Some rules, such as those regarding alcohol and drugs or the nudity of minors, are put in place to assure the legality of the festival under federal and state laws. The safety and health of the participants is further protected by the Guardians of the Sacred Circle: a protective order including medical doctors and other healthcare professionals, professional counseling staff and law enforcement personnel.

PSG is clothing-optional throughout most of the campsite. Relatively few attendees go skyclad. There are some limitations for minors (in more private circumstances where adults are also present) in order to assure compliance with state law.

At PSG, each adult must perform four hours of community service or equivalent (as determined by Circle Sanctuary staff) during the course of the week. These periods of time are referred to as "workshifts". Many of these workshifts are great opportunities to interact with festival-goers in other parts of the site.

Vending

Food service is available from several vendors at PSG, though many festival attendees bring and prepare some or all of their food for the week.

A large number of merchandise vendors come to PSG each year, selling Pagan festival accouterments of all sorts.

Music

Music is very much a part of the activities at Pagan Spirit Gathering. Chanting and singing can be heard at the Morning Meetings, at musically oriented workshops, and one can find drumming and dancing into the night at the Bonfire Circle. There is a performing arts show on the main stage and concerts every afternoon and evening of the event.

The main stage has hosted numerous performers and bands, including: Owain Phyfe

Owain Phyfe

Owain Phyfe is a vocalist, instrumentalist, composer, and the founder of Nightwatch Recording, which concentrates on Renaissance and Medieval music.-Early years:Phyfe grew up in a bilingual family with Welsh as a second language...

, Skinny White Chick with S. J. Tucker, Damh the Bard, Coyote Run, SONA

SONA (band)

SONA was a Neo-Pagan music band that toured and performed at Neo-Pagan gatherings and other events throughout the Midwest during the first decade of the 21st century. SONA, with its three members, was popularly known as “the Peter, Paul and Mary of Pagan music”.The three members of SONA were...

, Arthur Hinds, Ruth Barrett, Heather Jinmaku, Murphey's Midnight Rounders (formerly Dunn County Clerics), Celia, Shibaten, Spellsinger, The One Hat Band, Lezlie Revelle, Todd Alan, Incus, MotherTongue, Abbi Spinner, Stone Ring, Gypsy, Green Crown and others.

Ending

When the week is through, everyone packs up their tents and says good-bye for an entire year. The schedule reads:

"10AM Final Town Meeting and Closing Ritual at Town Green. Come and join the community in a ritual preparation for our departure and transition back into mundania."