MERCIAN GATHERING - pagan festival with Ritual, Talks and Entertainment

...And we're very Pagan! The focus of the camp is ritual, learning, sharing and celebration - if you want a boozy music festival, look elsewhere. That said, we have more talks, workshops and stuff to do than any other Pagan camp or conference, plus rituals, fire labyrinth, our famous wicker man, archery, cafe, hot tub, Vikings and entertainment.

- To honour the Old Gods
- To facilitate a sacred space for people of all paths to come together in a spirit of fellowship, learning and fun
- To raise money for our chosen charities

The Mercian Gathering is a non-commercial venture created and organised by a working Hearth [the Hearth of Arianrhod] and staffed entirely by volunteers. No one, except our charities, makes a penny from the event - and we have raised over £17,000 since we started five years ago. We aim to provide the very best weekend we can dream up without asking you to fork out more than your ticket price. Everything is free on site, including healing sessions and archery [except the non-profit-cafe, which charges the minimum prices possible]. We do this because we love creating a space we can share with other Pagans in the spirit of honour, fun and fellowship.

Kris follows the path of the Awenyddion, the inspired ones, those who shake and sway with the Awen.

Belly Dancing workshop - Stephanie's workshop is always one of the camp's highlights

"The Necromantic Urge: Ancient Practices of Calling Up, Binding, and Sending Out the Dead" examining the Graeco-Roman methods that we have in surviving literature of how necromancy was used, what for, and some of the reflections on the nature of daimons and the dead. Also covered would be Graeco-Roman ideas of the afterlife and the Underworld.

Plus a workshop on "Exploring Tarot Spreads", which will not only show people some easy to use spreads, but also give them the skills to create their own spreads for fun, for specific readings, and for others.

The Year 2012 has become the target of many frightening doomsday theories and the prediction of a cataclysmic event. All because some fans of the ancient Mayan civilisation tell us that a ‘Long Count’ ends. What does that mean? And then someone else said there was going to be a `Galactic Alignment`. Is this true? Well, no actually. Alison takes a look at all the hype and gossip from a sensible and informed point of view, explaining everything simply and clearly. By the time she has finished, you will be looking forward to the opportunity this special year offers. Alison is the author of 2 books and a well known radio and magazine astrologer. Her work can be found on www.midlandsschoolofastrology.co.uk

Graham Butcher

Early morning Stav sessions

plus

Megin Energy Workshop
"The Old Norse Term for the life force energy which the Chinese call Chi is 'Megin' as in 'Megingjoerd' or belt of strength which Thor wears. In this workshop we will use the runic Galdre stances to show how you can become aware of your own Megin. How to raise your energy levels, cleanse it and use it for healing purposes. Also, how to become aware of the energy of others and how to protect yourself from unwanted influences. A lot to pack into a two hour workshop but if you come along with an open mind and a willingness to put in some effort you should find this workshop a very interesting experience."

Don Kavanagh

Morning Qi Gong Sessions

All the Better to Shock You With: The Secret History of Fairy Tales

We think we know fairy tales. They are nice stories with clear morals for small children - right? We are so familiar with the old tales that we can easily forget the child-eating hags, eye-gouging birds and corpse-strewn rooms that populate the fairy tale landscape. And these are just in the versions of the stories that have passed down to us. Look back in time and the tales become yet more bloody and risqué - indeed, for the most part, the older the recorded version of the tale, the more shocking. A glance into the history of these children's bedtime tales uncovers stories of cannibalism, dismemberment, incest, bestiality and necrophilia - more sex and violence than hearts and flowers, more Tarantino than Disney. The history of fairy tales is not for the faint-hearted, so make sure you have your wits about you next time you go into the woods...

Michael Eaton

Chanting Workshop

Gail Eaton and Natasha Kenyon

Shamanic Workshop

Magicfolk produce a blend of traditional and contemporary folk, Celtic and rock music, writing original and alluring songs with mythological and mystic leanings. Using flute, fiddle, guitars, keyboards, bass, drums and rich vocal harmonies, their material ranges from ethereal magical ballads to stomping driving rock rhythms and fiddle-fuelled reels. “Genuinely something new for fans of esoteric folk, their lyrics sing of folklore and magic, evoking the mystery within the music." (Woven Wheat Whispers)

A bunch of Pagan bards who go around visiting prehistoric stone circles and sleeping in ancient burial tombs, banging on about mother earth and the veneration of nature. Originating from the British Anarcho punk scene, this is music for the love of it.

Toilet block in the main field, disabled loo and portaloos in the camping field

As of the end of January, two thirds of the tickets have gone. Don't leave it too late...

Sorry - all the stalls have sold out, but if you only have a few things to sell we are bringing back the Sunday Market on Sunday afternoon in the marquee. You can bring in a blanket or pasting table and set up for free. All traders must have public liability insurance. There will be no stalls in the Camping Field.

Or send a cheque payable to 'The Mercian Gathering' to Sue Lane, 48 Oaston Road, Nuneaton, Warks.

LOST TICKETS- We begin sending out tickets in March. All tickets will have been sent out two weeks before the Gathering. If your tickets have not arrived, please phone us to let us know by then. If you have not let us know seven days before the Gathering we cannot replace the tickets or refund the money. If you have lost your tickets after they have arrived, we charge a £5 replacement fee per ticket. No entrance on the gate without a valid ticket. Phone 07855 378515 [March 1st to September 1st only]

NO REFUNDS IF YOU CANCEL FOR WHATEVER REASON. By the time of the camp the money will have been spent on the facilities or donated to charity. You can sell your spare tickets on the forum. In the unlikely event of the Gathering being cancelled all money will be refunded or credited for a later event if you prefer.

[Please read before you email to ask questions that are already answered here]

OPENING AND CLOSING TIMES- opens 10.30 am on Friday and closes at 8 pm on Sunday. No extra camping Thursday or Sunday night.

CAMP ETHOS - the focus of this camp is spiritual exploration. It is not a music festival and there is no beer tent. Please don't bring large amounts of alcohol on site.

CHILDREN - Are very welcome. We run workshops and entertainment especially for children.

WHAT TO BRING- tent , sleeping bag, torch, cooking equipment, food, fresh clothes, plus ritual garments if you wish, a notebook and some money to purchase goodies from the stalls and cafe, any medication you are taking, along with personal toiletries.

PARKING Cars can be parked on site next to your tent. If you are planning to come in daily, you must park on site, and not down the road in any farm gateways.

TALKS AND WORKSHOPS- Workshops start at 2 pm Friday till 7 pm Sunday. The day’s events are displayed on a board in the information tent and in the marquee.

NO DOGS- People smuggling dogs or other animals on site will be asked to leave immediately and their money will not be refunded.

NOISE- 11 pm curfew for drumming, and ask you to keep the noise down after midnight.

FIRES - Sorry, no personal fires; do not dig pits. Barbecues and fireboxes are okay.

TOILETS- There will be portaloos in the camping field and a really nice toilet block in the Events Field where you will probably be spending most of your time. There will be a disabled portaloo on site- if you are disabled you can camp near it, so please mention this to the camping marshals on arrival.

CAFÉ - The café provides light meals, including vegetarian and vegan options, a barbecue in the evenings, snacks and drinks. Any profit it does make is donated to charity. It is staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers who do their best - sometimes in difficult circumstances - so please treat them with consideration.

PICK UP SERVICE- There will be a free pick up service from Nuneaton train station on the hour from 11 am till 7.00 pm on the Friday. A return service from the camp to the station will operate Sunday - book your return lifts at the Information Tent.

FIRST AID- please enquire at the Information Tent, which will be manned during the day, or otherwise at the Dagda tent on the gate or see Don at the showers.

RITUALS - The rituals of the camp honour the Old Gods, the season and the spirits of the land. A ritual is designed to transform the individual that takes part in it. Remember that you only get out of a ritual what you put in; don’t just be a spectator, but join in. The opening ritual is provided by the Hearth of Arianrhod. We activate the labyrinth and invite the Gods and spirits of place to join us in our celebration of the harvest, and ask them to help us in our learning experience during the weekend. You will be invited to decorate the wicker man with your offerings and prayers during the course of Saturday. On Saturday we flame the labyrinth and travel through it as an act of purification. This is followed by a procession to the wicker man when we burn him and send him to the Gods with our prayers and offerings for the coming year. [If you do fire poi, fire staffs, fire juggling etc. please bring your stuff and help lead the procession.] The closing ritual is thrown open to our visitors to formulate and perform, so please get involved in that.

General Enquiries- The Mercian Gathering, Windrush House, High Tor West, Earl Shilton, Leics, LE9 7DN, UK

Tickets- The Mercian Gathering, 48 Oaston Rd, Nuneaton, Warks, CV11 6JZ. Tel. 07855 378515 [1st March to September 1st only]

Share your experiences, arrange car shares or ask questions of the other attendees and organisers on the Forum