Witchsfest USA attendees enjoyed the positive energy of the event.
Photo by Gabriele Holtermann
Hold your cauldrons. Muggles had a chance to mingle with witches and pagans at the annual Witchsfest USA on Astor Place in the West Village on July 8 to explore their spiritual side and learn more about witchcraft and paganism.
The magickal marketplace offered altar kits, money and love spell potions, herbs, spiritual salts and baths, and books about the supernatural.
Tarot readers were at hand to give some insight into the past, present, and future, and workshops taught about communicating with spirits or creating a crystal flower Mandala.
The entertainment portion of the festival included a performance by primal shock rock band Wolfspeak, El Igualito Unity, and Tandave Arts Whimsical Hips NY.
Carol Tandave has been teaching belly dancing since 2015. She got into belly dancing in 2004 after an invasive abdominal surgery left the former “gym rat” with weak abdominal and back muscles.
“The belly is the center of power that is really shamed in our culture,” Tandave said. “I find that belly dancing is a way to reanimate the soul, the feminine sensibility that nurtures and supports back into the larger body.”
Contrary to what established religious institutions want people to believe, witches and wiccans don’t worship the devil, nor do they believe in the devil or demons.
Starr RavenHawk, the co-founder of WitchsFest USA, explained that the pagan faire, which is in its 12th year, was a fundraiser for the NYC Wiccan Family Temple, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Feeding America, and City Harvest.
RavenHawk said the festival donated to Catholic-based food pantries the first few years, but the church never acknowledged the contributions.
“So now, City Harvest, Feeding America, and St. Jude [acknowledge us], saying from ‘Witches Giving Back,’” RavenHawk said.
Vonnie Kissner, aka Lady VeilKyrie Crone, was one of the “magickal” vendors.
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