A Feast of Lights
Finding Light and Hope in the Midst of Darkness
February 3-5, 2023
Northampton, Massachusetts
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 Stag King’s Masque – a masquerade feast with entertainment, followed by ritual and dancing. .
Presenters
Confirmed presenters include: Michael Dunning, Jane Sibley, Andras Corban Arthen, Christopher Croucher, Brighthawk (remotely), Trey Wentworth, Juniper Talbot, Martin Bridge, Tchipakkan, Nikolas Wolfhame Katrick, Miriam Klamkin, Andrew Watt, Katie LaFond and Chris LaFond, ALisa Starkweather, and more!
The Stag King’s Masque will include dancing with drums, followed by live music from The Bardo Brothers.
Scheduled programs begin midday on Friday, February 3 and continue until midday on Sunday, February 5.
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.
Saturday night we celebrate with a hosted Feast with performances, then ritual and dancing at the Stag King’s 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.
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 – We will 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 at a new venue for us, 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.
A block of rooms is also available at the Fairfield Inn, a 15 minute walk, or 5 minute drive, away. Those rooms have the same block rate, but also include breakfast and may be able to hold more people per room than the ones in the event venue. There is a pool at the Fairfield Inn.
The Stag King’s Masque
The Stag King’s 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, where we join the creatures of the otherworld at midwinter to revel and celebrate in the darkest time of the year. Please dress as a being of the forest or in a wintry costume to immerse yourself in the magic of Midwinter.
The format this year will begin with a Feast, which will include the opportunity to see some of our talented performers live! After dinner, we will move across the hall for the ritual and dance. The Merchant and Community Room will be open after dinner until the end of the dance.
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 Stag King’s Masque. (We are sorry that no more seats are available for the Feast. We have revised the fee accordingly).
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 Stag King’s 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 Stag King’s Masque, or coming for the Masque and then join us for brunch on Sunday.
Advance Registration Rates – revised:
- Full Weekend, including the Stag King’s Masque Ritual, and Dancing $125 (the Feast is no longer available)
- Saturday Single Day (including all evening events except the Feast): $80
- Children: Ages 0-4 are free, 4-17 are $25 with any adult registration (- will not include the Feast)
- Saturday Night Events – Stag King’s Masque – Ritual, Feast and Dancing: $75
- Midwinter Ritual and Masquerade Dance – arriving at 8pm – after the Feast, are $25 and are also available at the door. The merchant room will be available throughout the evening.
- Brunch add-on for Sunday morning is $42 including taxes and tip. (can be added to any registration, including on site.)
The deadline for pre-registration in any format is January 24, 2023.
After this time, limited weekend registrations will be accepted at the door at the same prices.
Refund Policy: NO refunds are available after Dec 31, 2022
Prior to that, full refunds are available minus a $30 processing fee.
Online Registration Instructions:
To Register 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 using this mail in application form.
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.
All registrations and full payment must be received by January 24 to:
Tamelin Productions
P.O. Box 340
Williamsburg, MA 01096
phone: 413-238-4240
Reminder – NO refunds after Dec 31, 2022
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