2012 Lammas Fest Dates: July 27th - 29th
Check back often as details are being finalized
Can you believe we're on year 10? What started out as a joke, and then a dream has just kept growing. We're all thrilled with the wonderful people we've met over the past years and we look forward to sharing the first harvest with friends old and new this year.
All site content ©2003-2012. Contact info@lammasfest.us for reprint permissions.
This group exists because of both a joke and a dream. Three of us had returned from a very cold campout and were bitterly complaining that there needed to be a gathering in warm weather.
Around a campfire, a little spark was born. We picked probably the hottest Pagan holiday one could have in the Midwest. The celebration is Lammas, or the celebration of the first harvest.
What began as a desire to have a campout with our friends in warm weather
has evolved into a very close-knit working group from all over the United
States. Our committee has members from New York and Ohio to California
and many points in between. We've heard rumors that we could have guests
from Canada, from Colorado and the Pacific Northwest. We are thrilled
to think that our gathering has all the earmarks of a large festival.
It has taken a lot of hard work from many dedicated people to bring you
this event. We hope you enjoy it.
Kate Kate is a solitary practitioner following an eclectic blend of Celtic, Native American and Angel beliefs. Kate works at an area teaching hospital and is involved in substitute teaching at a local community college. She is currently a student of Reflexology, preparing to finish in the late fall of 2012, with plans to open a business tailored to healing modalities as the opportunities present. Kate is also a published writer, publisher, and currently is working on a novel and is also researching material on a serious sociological book. She lives in the Iowa City/Coralville area with her spouse, her various animal friends, and is fortunate to have all children and grandchildren living nearby.
Marsha is our mover and shaker who spreads the word of this event far and wide. She's so busy she hasn't gotten around to finishing her bio yet.
Kirk Kirk Cheyney is a husband of one and a father of two. He is also a biomedical engineer with a musculoskeletal focus. His interests include micro circuitry, alternative energy, disc golf, designing medical devices, and explaining magic through quantum physics. He is a self-described maker and enjoys contributing to the open source community. He has walked an eclectic pagan path for the last two decades. His current favorite quote is: “The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.”-- Albert Einstein. He agrees completely.
Nighttson is an eclectic pagan who pulls from many different stlyes and traditions with a strong leaning towards energy work and manipulation. His most distinctive trait is his open mindedness and willingness to help (look out he is one of "those quiet ones"). He lives central Iowa just south of Des Moines with his spouse and numerous wild and domestic animal friends. His philosophy is simple, nothing is concrete, question everything, the minute you accept something as concrete you close your mind.
Jenny Jenny is an eclectic Pagan who lives and works in Iowa City with her hubby and son.
Amanda Amanda is an eclectic solitary Wiccan who has lived in southeastern Iowa her whole life. She believes in reinventing oneself as often as possible. She has a degree in business management and works in a customer service position. She has been a vendor at Lammas Fest for several years and she loves working with the wonderful people to put on a great festival.
2012 Lammas Fest Dates: July 27th - 29th
Check back often as details are being finalized
Can you believe we're on year 10? What started out as a joke, and then a dream has just kept growing. We're all thrilled with the wonderful people we've met over the past years and we look forward to sharing the first harvest with friends old and new this year.
Q:What is Lammas and why are you celebrating it?
A:Click here for a detailed description of Lammas
Q:Why are their images of hawk strewn throughout the site?
A:Well there is a story behind it, in two parts actually.First part here
The other part is that the lammasfest committee and event both provide support to the McBride Raptor Project which cares for and rehabs injured raptors (birds of prey). The Red Tailed Hawk is a raptor and we have supported a Red Tailed Hawk since the beginning of LammasFest and will continue to do so as long as we are able.
Q:Am I able to vend at this event?
A:Absolutely, on the main lammasfest page click on the Vendors link and sign up
Q:What are quiet hours?
A:over the years as we have done with event in the same location the Army Corp of Engineers has allowed us to extend quiet hours as the campground is fairly secluded. Quiet hours are usually extended to Midnight (normal is 10pm).
Q:Can I bring a ritual blade?
A:If you are planning to bring a ritual blade or armory (athame, sword, etc.) they are to be worn ONLY during Rituals AND they must be peace bound at ALL TIMES.
Q:Can I bring my pet/familiar?
A:Yes, however please keep the following in mind:
Pets/Companion Animals: If you are considering bringing
pets with you to Lammas Fest, please be aware that pets must be kept on
a 6 foot leash which must be attached to an ADULT at
all times. We reserve the right to help you find a kennel to board your
animal(s) or ask you to leave if you do not adhere to this policy. Please have any immunization/health records with you to be available to park officials if needed.
Q:I have special medical needs which require power to be available, can this be accomodated?
A:Yes this can be accomodated however we will need to know as much in advance as possible as we do need to get special permission from the Army Corp's If Engineers. Please contact us on this as soon as possible.
Q:What type of campground is the cottonwood campground?
A:The cottonwood campground is a secluded part of the Coralville Dam Complex which is operated by the Army Corp Of Engineers. True to it's name the site has a multitude of cottonwood trees and surrounding the grounds in a leafy canopy. This is a tent only site however there is a modern bathroom at the site complete with showers.
Opening Ritual – In planning
ScheduleWe're still finalizing the 2012 schedule, so please check back to get a
glimpse of a weekend full of fun and spirituality celebrating the first
harvest.
Friday, July 29th, 2012
About the Festival SiteEvent GuidelinesFood: Please bring or plan to purchase enough food for everyone in your camping party for the entire weekend. Local grocery stores are just a short drive from the campsite. Harvest Feast: Harvest Feast is Friday at 6:00. The Lammasfest committee will provide the main course which includes hamburgers, veggieburgers and condiments. Everyone with a full weekend registration is welcome. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share (recommended to feed 10 - 12). Water: There is drinkable water available at Cottonwood, but bring your own bottles to carry water with you through out the day. You can also bring your own bottled water and/or ice to help keep you cool during the HOT weather. Alcohol Policy:This is a family event, therefore we do ask that alcohol use be kept to a minimum. We do not have a problem with ADULTS indulging in their favorite adult beverages, but excessive consumption will be grounds for expulsion from the event. Excessive consumption will be defined as being out of control, or creating a public nuisance or disturbance. No underage drinking is permitted. If you are an adult and chose to drink, please do so responsibly. Parking: due to a parking shortage at the campsite, there will be specific parking instructions at check in, and a shuttle system in place for Friday to expedite the process. Childcare: Children are welcome at the event, but parents are expected to arrange for childcare or keep their children with them at all times. Pets/Companion Animals: If you are considering bringing pets with you to Lammas Fest, please be aware that pets must be kept on a 6 foot leash which must be attached to an ADULT at all times. We reserve the right to help you find a kennel to board your animal(s) or ask you to leave if you do not adhere to this policy. Security:
The Lammas Committee will have a security team on the site throughout
most of the waking hours of the event. Please contact a member of security if
you have any concerns. The Lammas Security team has been instructed to call the park rangers
or the Johnson County Sheriff's Department for anything they feel is out
of the range of their expertise. The Lammas Committee will back up any
decisions made by law enforcement.
From Interstate 80 East and West: In Case of Bad Weather The Corp of Engineers will do everything they can to ensure the safety of camping guests. In case of potentially severe weather, the Park Ranger will notify a member of the Lammas Security team who will then notify event participants. In case of rapidly approaching weather with no time to notify individual campsites, the Rangers will use a loudspeaker to make the warning announcement. In case of tornado, damaging winds, hail, severe lightning, etc. campers are advised to seek shelter in the bathrooms.
Vendors2012 Vendor List:Bring along spending money to take advantage of the opportunity to shop with the following vendors at Lammas Fest 2012. If you would like to register as vendor click hereImportant Information for Lammas Fest 2012 VendorsPlease note the information on Vendor Pricing is located on the registration
page and will be calculated along with registration. We have a limited amount of vendor spaces available and each year we hear both new and returning vendors say “I’ll be back next year!” We make every effort to contact vendors from previous years’ events, however, we love having new vendors at our event, so please get your spot reserved as quickly as you can! This year in order to make things easier for both vendors and the LammasFest Committee, we have made changes we believe will make vending at our event more enjoyable. Please read the guidelines carefully. If you have any questions, please email us at: info@lammasfest.us Vendor booth sizes are 10’x10’. Your vendor fee covers two individuals. We understand that vendors need time away from their booths for bathroom breaks and meals, and many of our vendors like to teach workshops at the event, or attend workshops that interest them! Vendors may set up tents on Thursday, August 1, after 3 p.m if they desire to do so. However, please be aware that no merchandise sales will be allowed until Friday, August 1. Merchandise should not be left unattended at any time after set-up. Tear-down must be completed by 2 p.m. on Sunday, August 3. LammasFest’s official closing time is at noon; vendors are more than welcome to take advantage of last minute sales till event close. The following information is new and extremely important! Please read carefully!Vendor applications must be received no later than midnight, July 20th, 2012. This is two weeks before the event. As stated earlier, we have limited space available, and need to be aware of who is coming, as well as be able to provide website support to let people know you will be there. We will not accept last minute reservations as we have done in years past. We will make every effort to include information about vendors who are attending on our website. Please make sure to fill out the description area about your business. Include appropriate contact information and website address for us to include with your business description. Wish you could be with us, but you’re already booked for this year? Would you like to send additional information home with our guests?We’ve added a way of advertising inexpensively for interested vendors. Each individual or family who attends LammasFest receives an informational packet at check-in. If you would like to include brochures, magnets, business cards, etc. to registration packets, we will add your information to registration packets. Minimum requirement is 150 brochures, business cards, etc., which must be received no later than July 20th. The rates for this are:
Any information you would like included in registration packets can be sent to:
Lammas ExplainedClick to go back from whence you cameLammas is a celebration that dates back to ancient times. It originated in the Celtic festival of Lughnasdh (pronounced Loog-NA-sa) and is celebrated on August 1. The ancients assembled to mourn the death of the corn god or the death of summer. After the Romans invaded Britain, the Catholic Church incorporated the celebration of the First Harvest and renamed it Loaf-Mass. When the first of the grain was gathered in, ground and baked into a traditional loaf of bread, the bread was then offered up as part of the Eucharist ritual. It remained a popular ceremony during the Middle Ages, only losing popularity after the Reformation Modern Pagans celebrate the holiday, giving thanks for the bounty of the Earth. A loaf of bread, shaped into either a traditional braid or sheaf shape, or a cornbread (depending upon geographic region) shaped as a sun-face or cornman, is baked or bought. The bread is blessed and the first portion is laid on the altar or the ground as an offering to the Gods. In the way of folklore and legend, few Lammas customs seem to have survived. However, if we look at history, we can readily see that factory and school holidays were timed to coincide at the start of the harvest so plenty of people would be on hand to help. Many family reunions still meet in August - a time for gatherings, for games, for fairs and other large celebrations. With most foods being available throughout the year we tend to forget the importance of this time - how a good harvest was crucial to our ancestors. Without a large harvest, there was a chance that many would not survive the winter months. It's no wonder the ancients celebrated the first harvest, gave thanks for the bounty with which they were able to survive the winter months ahead. It is time to remember and be thankful for all that we have been given. Links"Thoughts at Lammas" by Katrina The Hawk StoryClick to go back from whence you cameIt was somewhere around the end of March, or the first part of April in 2003- at least we all were still wearing winter coats. The Lammas committee had gathered for a meeting, and when it ended some of us decided to journey to the Cottonwood Campsite to show it off to people who had not seen it. Cottonwood is a magical sort of site. It looks very small and intimate, but when you begin walking through it, it sometimes seems as though it's taking much longer to get through it. That's how we were feeling as we picked our way through the grounds, inspecting the layout of the sizes and shapes of the individual sites, the placement of the trees, how we could utilize the site for our needs. I think we all noticed the birds at the same time. I know we all stopped in our tracks, open-mouthed in wonder. Before us was a tree full of birds. You might laugh, because flocks of birds in trees in spring season is a common sight. This was not. This tree was full of red-tail hawks. At least 30 birds were in that tree, watching our approach. By our reckoning, 30 birds is probably conservative...there may have been as many as 50. They watched us till we were almost underneath the tree they rested in. Then, one by one, they launched themselves into the air and circled lazily around us before beginning their flight once more. Red-tail hawks are territorial birds. They defend their chosen area from others of their kind. Typically, a mated pair of red-tails and their young require up to ten acres of hunting land. To see a grouping of red-tails is unusual, but they migrate together. We can only assume what we were blessed with seeing was a resting flock of migrating red-tails. We were all happy there were others with us - none of us had a camera, and surely no one would believe it if only one of us had seen this! Those of us who follow nature-based religions are accustomed to seeing blessings in Mother Nature's children. We felt that we had been given the blessing of the Hawk on our chosen site for the Lammas event. The least we can do to honor Hawk is to make sure in some way we help care for those who have been injured at the hand of Man...thus we will be raising funds for the MacBride Raptor Center. Links:MacBride Raptor Center | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
