A Feast of Lights
2025 dates: Jan 31-Feb 2
Finding Light and Hope in the Midst of Darkness
Jan 26-28, 2024
Northampton, Massachusetts
Registration Online!
A Feast of Lights is a time to gather to rekindle our fires at the season of the Celtic festival of Imbolg or midwinter, when the cold is deepest. It is a time to find warmth in community and tap into the strength of the returning light. This winter we need the promise of that small flame in the darkness, and so we will stir together a rich community with a wonderful collection of teachers, performers, artists, and merchants. Together, we will kindle the fire within to nourish our spirits and minds through the dark of winter and the challenges to come.
This very special weekend is a time to celebrate with, and learn from each other, a time to find power – in the old traditions, in creative and artistic expression, and in vibrant discussion and planning direction for the coming year. Come to make music, listen, learn, dance, shop, laugh, reflect, and enjoy warm company. Come to look toward the future, to think, and to make plans. As we share with one another, and support one another, we can feel the spark of life, hidden deep beneath the snows of winter, begin to glow warm within our hearts.
Weekend Features include:
Weekend features include: The Art Salon, rituals, merchants, workshops, a massive clothing swap, music performances and sharing, panel discussions, games and The Midwinter Masque – a masquerade feast followed by ritual and dancing.
This year featuring Frenchy and the Punk!
The New York based power house of a duo has been delighting audiences in the alternative and mystical realms with their quirky blend of post-punk dark cabaret since 2005. Post-Punk.com music blog described the chemistry of the two in their review of the pair’s latest release Zen Ghost – “Frenchy doesn’t shy away from theatrics: her infectious vivacity, commanding dance moves and bellowing voice weave into a mesmerizing combination. Helland anchors her with his skillful guitar work, a wonderful alchemy of complimentary energies.” This fiercely independent duo, Samantha Stephenson and Scott Helland, tour across the US and in Europe year round and have released 7 albums to date.
Registration Online!
Presenters
Additional featured presenters so far include:
- Laura Tempest Zakroff
- Martin Bridge
- Juniper Talbot
- Andras Corban Arthen
(A complete schedule and list of presenters will be posted when it is available.)
Scheduled programs begin midday on Friday, January 26 and continue until midday on Sunday, January 28.
COVID protocols
A Feast of Lights Winter Images 2
Video credit: Martin Bridge
Friday night features an Art Salon – where you can exhibit or enjoy work by many fine community artists, a Bardic Circle and a Midwinter Ritual Meditation.
Sharing at A Feast of Lights 2024 – Bardic Circle sign up
Saturday night we celebrate with a delicious Feast, then ritual and dancing at the Midwinter Masque.
With these special events alongside the workshops, crafting, discussions and performances during the days it will be a full weekend!
Programs and Proposals
Each year we offer a wide variety of presentations, performances and rituals. In our selection process this year we will prioritize proposals for adults, children and families with a focus on pagan culture, lore and traditions, participatory ritual, makers and crafts, sustainable pagan living, arts and music, spiritual practice and activism/service.
We are currently accepting program proposals until December 20.
Clothing Swap – Bring your apparel treasures that you no longer need, and perhaps find some others to take home instead. You do not have to donate in order to take something home, and visa versa. Clothing items and accessories of all kinds are welcome as long as they are in excellent condition. Fancy and ritual clothes are among the favorites. (One person even found her wedding dress at the swap!)
Merchants – A Feast of Lights always brings together fabulous vendors and craftspeople! We have a reduced registration price for craftspeople or vendors who want to set up a table in the Merchant and Community Room for the weekend. You can indicate that you would like to be a merchant on your form when you register, and we will send you more information.
Our Location
The Hotel Northampton
413-584-3100
We are delighted to return this year to Northampton, MA, the Hotel Northampton. Located right downtown, the hotel is a wonderful space for A Feast of Lights. It has all the meeting space we need, a beautiful venue for the Masque, free parking and a fantastic location. Please call the hotel to request the block for A Feast of Lights when you reserve your room, to receive the discounted rate and to help us meet our required minimum for the event! You cannot reserve the block rates online. Our special room rates will be in effect until January 10, after which they cannot be guaranteed.
The Midwinter Masque
The Midwinter Masque is a celebratory journey into a winter realm of mystery.
With a Feast, a Ritual, and a Masquerade Dance, we travel into the winter forest to the realm of the Stag King and other magical beings, where we join the creatures of the otherworld at midwinter to revel and celebrate in the darkest time of the year.
The format this year will begin with a Feast in the rustic “Tavern Kitchen”! After dinner, we will move across the hall for the ritual and dancing with Frenchy and the Punk. The Merchant and Community Room will be open after dinner until the end of the dance.
Watch Frenchy and the Punk on Youtube
Dark Carnivale
A Feast of Lights full weekend registration includes all of the Saturday night festivities.
A Feast of Lights Application Information
A full weekend registration for A Feast of Lights includes admission to daily programs and performances and the Community Room / Merchant Hall throughout the weekend, beginning at 2pm on Friday and ending at 2:00pm on Sunday, including a ticket to the Feast and the MIdwinter Masque. (We are sorry that, due to hotel requirements, we are not able to offer a reduced price if you choose not to participate in the Feast).
The Hotel Northampton also has a famous buffet brunch on Sunday, continually rated the “Best in the Valley”. We will have a special room available to us for that and you may choose to add brunch as an option on your registration. It is priced “at cost” and includes all taxes and tip.
Single day registration is available for Saturday only, providing admission to the Merchant Hall, social activities, and workshops for that day only. Saturday registration includes a ticket for the Masque.
The Midwinter Masque will begin at 8pm on Saturday night and tickets are available in advance or at the door. You do not have to be attending the weekend to attend the Masque. Costumes or fancy-dress are strongly encouraged!
We ask for your awareness that A Feast of Lights registration is not just about attending workshops, but is about connecting with the community that grows around the gathering as well. Please register for the event if you intend to be on site for all or part of the weekend, and suggest the same to your friends – that is what financially enables us to have space to come together. If you can’t register for the whole weekend, consider coming for just Saturday and then participating in the Feast and the Midwinter Masque, or coming for the Feast and the Masque on Saturday night and then join us for brunch on Sunday.
Advance Registration Rates – revised 01/10/24:
We are sorry, but the Feast has reached capacity and we cannot fit any more people in the dining room, so we have lowered all registration rates to reflect that no dinner will be included.
The adjusted rates are:
- Full weekend registration: $125
- Sat all day: $80
- Sat night, Masque only – $20
- Children: under 4 remain free, 4-17 will be $20
- Brunch add-on for Sunday morning is $42 including all taxes and gratuity. Chiildren ages 4-12 will be $30 (can be added to any registration, including on site.)
The deadline for pre-registration in any format is January 13, 2024.
After this time, limited weekend registrations will be accepted at the door at the same prices, but these will include only the Masque and not the Feast.
Refund Policy: NO refunds are available after Dec 31, 2023
Prior to that, full refunds are available minus a $30 processing fee.
Online Registration Instructions:
Registration Online!
Please complete a separate registration form for each adult attending.
You will receive a confirmation e-mail with your registration number.
Online payment options are: credit card (via PayPal), check, or money order. If you choose PayPal, you’ll be taken to the secure PayPal site at the appropriate time in the registration process.
You may also mail in your registration payment.
If you registered on line and are mailing in your payment, please include your registration number with your check or money order.
To pay for more than one registration:
With PayPal, make a separate payment with each registration form.
With check or money order, you may combine payments. Please write all relevant registration numbers on the check.
Some work exchange is available for A Feast of Lights, most of it requiring physical agility and moderate strength. If you are interested, please go ahead and register and indicate that on the form in the appropriate box.
Volunteers are also needed and welcomed in capacities ranging from participation in the ritual on Saturday, to assisting Merchants with moving in and out, from helping at the registration table, to helping us unload everything at Glenwood after the event, and more. Please let us know when you register if you are able to help!
All registrations and full payment must be received by January 13, 2024 to:
Tamelin Productions
P.O. Box 340
Williamsburg, MA 01096
phone: 413-238-4240
Reminder – NO refunds after Dec 31, 2023
Where to contact us about A Feast of Lights:
By phone: 413-238-4240
By email about A Feast of Lights: folreg@tamelinproductions.com
By email about other matters: earthspirit@earthspirit.com
By postal mail:
Tamelin Productions
P.O. Box 340
Williamsburg, MA 01096
phone: 413-238-4240
Please call our office if you have questions. Our website will be updated with program information as it becomes available.
We look forward to seeing you at this midwinter celebration of spirit, hope, community, and the arts
We look forward to seeing you at this midwinter celebration of spirit, hope, community, and the arts