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.

We've had the honor of hosting the renowned Jane Sibley, Ph.D. at Fertile Ground Gathering since 2010, and she has shared her wealth of knowledge in a variety of workshops throughout the years.  

Now, we're delighted to offer you the chance to sit and chat with Jane about anything and everything you might want to know about Norse folklore, mythology, runes, and pre-Christian religion.

Bring your favorite drink, and join Jane in the Feast Hall on Saturday morning for what's sure to be a fascinating conversation!

On  Friday 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.

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.

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!

If you would like to apply to be one of the vendors at this year's market, click here.

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!

During the Gathering, Jane Sibley will be offering a variety of divination techniques including Runestick Readings and Swedish Card Readings.

She will be available at the Feast Hall throughout the event when she is not teaching a workshop.

If you would like to have a divination session with Jane, please sign up with her.

Not sure which type of reading you want? Ask Jane which one would be best for your needs.