Atlanta Pagan Pride Day 2011

Atlanta Pagan Pride Day 2011 has finally come and gone.  What a day!  North Georgia Solitaries and the Pagan Assistance Fund had a booth out in the parking lot in the spot we’ve come to think of as our “regular” spot.  We arrived around 6AM to find everything dark and no one there yet.   We drove down the street and got some breakfast to munch on in the car and got back about the time the organizers were arriving.  They let us know where to set up and it all began.  We unloaded the vehicles so they could be moved out of the way and helped a few other vendors get unloaded so we could keep the parking lot as clear of cars as possible during set-up. 

Setting up the PAF booth

Then the fun began.  Vendors got set up and opened up for business.  The Pagan Assistance Fund booth was full of all kinds of goodies.  We do a collaborative effort where our members get together and sell items they either make or purchase with a portion of the sales going back into the Pagan Assistance Fund.   A real community effort.  We have members at our booth from as far away as North Carolina contributing to that effort.

Atlanta Pagan Roundtable

I had connections with several organizations that were representing at PPD.  The booth we put together for the Pagan Assistance Fund and North Georgia Solitaries, of course.  I am a board member on the Church of the Spiral Tree which had a booth next to the PAF booth.  I’m a member of the Dogwood Local Council of the Covenant of the Goddess and the Atlanta Pagan Roundtable which each had booths inside the building.  I really enjoyed spending time talking with people about all of those organizations throughout the day.

The organizers of Atlanta Pagan Pride have really done an outstanding job of organizing things even to the point of arranging for a parking waiver for vehicles to park up and down the street in what is usually a no parking zone.  There was a police officer on site at all times to insure the safety of the festival.  

Lord Luminias and his PPD bling!

Workshops included Paths and Practices presented by Melanie Marquis, Tara Dance Practice presented by Sarah Salamander and Anahata Iradah and Sacred Chanting presented Ian Baccio.

There was a lovely children’s ritual on the playground that included each child receiving a piece of yarn. They were instructed to go out into the community and tie the yarn around someone else’s wrist as a sign of community ties. I was blessed to have one young boy come find me and offer me his yarn. I’ve got that piece of yarn on my altar now to remind me that it is important to teach the children about community. 

PPD provided a wonderful Mabon Ritual focused on harvest and universal peace.  Participants entered through the elements and had the opportunity to participate in an earth based dance of universal peace led by Anahata.  

Performances were given by Emerald Rose, Celia and the Cross Cultural Dance Company.  Emerald Rose had people dancing in the aisles as usual.  Celia had the audience laughing and playing with TrestleFoote Fairie's appearance and announcement of her current run for president.  Celia's performance included a duet with Arthur Hinds of a song called “Give It Away”.  Celia wrote the song and is working on putting together a group of artists to be featured singing it.  She plans on donating that song to the Pagan Assistance Fund for use as a fundraiser.  

I’m not sure what the final numbers were on how many people came through.  I do know this.  The Pagan Assistance Fund booth had steady traffic all day and there always seemed to be lots of people milling about everywhere.  You can bet that both North Georgia Solitaries and the Pagan Assistance Fund will have another booth at Atlanta Pagan Pride 2012.