Community Activities

On Thursday evening, we'll be hosting a Newcomers Welcome; A chance for new folks to become familiar with everything about the Gathering including meeting our team members, learning to get around the park, getting the opportunity to ask questions, and more. Whether you're attending the Gathering for the first time, or you've been coming for years, you're all welcome to join us for this activity. Folks who've attended in the past are encouraged to attend and share your perspectives and experiences!

When you arrive, we invite you to stop at the Welcome Altar. There you will be able to take a moment to breathe, center yourself, ground, and release anything that might hold you back from fully immersing yourself at the Gathering. Leave your worldly cares on the altar so you can step into the Sacred Work of the weekend, and prepare yourself for this immersive experience.

Finished checking in and getting settled?  

Join Liz* in the Feast Hall for a community art project!

No, you don't get to know in advance what it is.  You'll just have to show up and see for yourself.  

Everyone is invited to bring a group or personal banner, if you have one, to hang from the beams in the Feast Hall. This has become a long-standing tradition that gets cooler every year. Some folks have created banners specifically for this event! ShadowGrove and the Wilder Grove have one -- join the fun and help bring the Feast Hall to life!

At  Fertile Ground Gathering, we ask that all participants volunteer an  hour of their time to help with things that need to be maintained,  cleaned, transported, arranged, etc.  Working together is part of what  makes this event so successful and helps to keep our community positive.

We are grateful to you for your cooperation, and for your willingness to keep the Gathering a positive sacred space.

Facilitated by Cora Rivera

Unleash your creativity and bring your emerging butterflies to life with origami. I will give step-by-step instructions verbally as well as written instructions for all learning styles. Extra decorations and colored pencils will be available to embellish your creations. We will start with a relatively simple butterfly suitable for all experience levels, but other instructions will be available.

Among us we have those who have chosen to serve in a way that requires courage and self-sacrifice at a level that many people never know.  Each year, Fertile Ground Gathering honors those who place themselves, their lives, their futures at risk for the benefit of us all.

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The Warrior Blessing Ritual on Saturday is a way to remember those who have served, recognize those who are serving, and honor those who will serve in the future. It is specifically intended for those who are former- or active-duty military and their families, as well as Emergency Services personnel.

Those who are not warriors or family themselves are also welcome to attend the ritual to hold space and offer honor and gratitude.

Attending this ritual is free for all military and former military, as well as Emergency Services personnel, whether or not they are paying guests of Fertile Ground Gathering. If you are not already attending the Gathering and would like to attend the Blessing, we also invite you to join us for lunch starting at 12:00.

If you wish to have lunch with us and are not already attending Fertile Ground Gathering, please send us a message to let us know that you will be coming so that we can ensure there is food for everyone.

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We, the Fertile Ground Gathering staff, thank you for your service.

If you prefer to stay inside after the evening meals, you are welcome to gather in the Feast Hall to play board games!  There will be some games available for you to choose, and you're welcome to bring some to share as well.  Bring games everyone knows, or introduce something new!

On Saturday afternoon, we host a cook-out lunch in The Commons.  Lunch will include burgers and hot dogs, picnic sides, fruit and salad, as well as  vegetarian options.

We  invite you to bring camp chairs or picnic blankets for your comfort.   And you're also welcome to bring lawn games to play together as well.*


*  Please note that park regulations prohibit us from inserting items into  the ground.  Please only bring games that can be played without the use  of stakes or other in-ground objects.  Thank you.

New this year, we're delighted to introduce The Commons Vendor Market!

The  Commons Vendor Market will take place on Saturday May 2nd from 11am to 3pm and will feature curated vendors, and service providers tailored to enhance your experience at this year's Gathering!

Join Rev. Christen, ordained pagan minister, artist, and reiki master, in a gentle guided meditation where we’ll create a sacred space and connect with earth and cosmic energies, call in our angels, guides and healed ancestors, and clear, ground, center, and protect our energy fields. Please bring something comfortable to sit or lay on, and plan on about 30 minutes total. (Note: This healing involves working with angels, spirits of the land, and the fairy realm.)

We are fortunate to host several amazing authors among our special guest  presenters, and many of them bring their books with them for sale.   These books are set up in the Feast Hall for the entire weekend.  We  hope you'll visit the Authors Table this year!

Friday and Saturday Night Drum Circles facilitated by Mark Sawasky

Mark facilitates drum circles that fully engage all participants, from  beginners to advanced drummers and musicians, while creating a strong  sense of community. His approach is to teach simple, accessible rhythms  that people can play along with, add on to, and even solo from.

Playing rhythmic patterns for an extended amount of time helps each  person relax, connect with the collective heartbeat, and find their own  place in the circle. In Time, the drum circle will find its groove and  evolve into a beautiful, unified piece of music with multiple voices.