Faerieworlds

I'd never heard of it before, but when they offered us a free weekend pass to attend as we were on our way out of OCF, well, how could we refuse?

A screen shot from the local daily where CAM was featured in the promo article

Faerieworlds was taking place at the Secret House Winery (now Meriwether's) down the road on HWY 126 in August 2008; essentially beside OCF's grounds.
We'd just made the move from Seattle and were taking the summer off to ride bikes, eat candy and discover our new environs.
Though I believe it'd been growing and gaining popularity, they were still desperate for attendants; Greenman specifically.
Hence, luring us with such a money saving offer to join them for this festival.
Being local now, it was easy to get costumes together again and head back out to the relatively close venue.
Ultimately, I was pretty disillusioned.
Perhaps I was expecting something similar to Fair in terms of atmosphere and attitude.
As a poorly practicing Pagan, it seemed so appealing to be among like-minded folks, partaking of rituals and honoring our chosen spirituality.
I was keen to arrive in time for the opening rites and Spiral Dance*, which -was- satisfying and promising.
However, that's where it all ended and became a big let down.
It was effectively an elaborate marketing scheme for the Froud Empire.
Why would that be surprising? It was named Faeries (English spelling, even) after all.
While working at GaelSong, that segment of the population and their purchasing habits became familiar to me.

Virgins

Thinking it rather tacky, overpriced, hyped and useless, I dismissed the merchandise out of hand.
Yet here it all was in its glorious splendor, laid out at countess booths waiting to be salivated over and gobbled up.
Stupid. (Me=judgmental)
There were some trippy trance bands, nothing which stood out, and I was quite through with it all after about an hour.
But what finally did me in was a lack of water.
I always travel with my refillable bottle (so PNW eco-minded) but after several inquiries was curtly told there was a hose on the side of the building (it was turned off) or it could be purchased at the few food booths at a much inflated rate.
This pisses me off to no end.
It's a matter of health and safety that your event provide the means to prevent dehydration and sun stroke.
And I just wasn't feeling the love in general.
So I sat around and soured over the course of 3 days.
Greenman's take on it was completely different, no doubt being Mr. Guest of Honor and all, tho' he did get a bit bored with the limited options of food and entertainment.
We vowed never to return.
Except 2 years later, they offered up free tix again in much the same way as before.
We took them.
And *again* weren't pleased- even more this time around.
The venue had changed to Mt. Pisgah and it was hotter and drier and AGAIN with the water issues.
I have very little patience for lack of this vital resource. C'mon you heathens, it's AN ELEMENT! Get it together.
It was still Froud Central and sycophants followed them around like puppies waiting for treats.
The music was better, though.
Still not really the Pagan fest I had hoped for. The search for community of that sort had come up short, so I was relegated to solo and sporadic observance.
Back then, my expectations were higher than they are now (age and/or country living?) and the subsequent disillusionment tougher to deal with.

Things go better with mead & local brews

What I thought FW should be and what it actually was were two very different things, which made me mad at it.
By now, I'd even taken to actively bad-mouthing the thing and swore, truly, never to return!
In fact, just last month a friend asked me to accompany her for the first time.
Absolutely not!
No dice.
But they're onto us.
Like clockwork, after two years, I was approached by a very pleasant man at the exit of Fair back in July.
"You with Greenman?"
"Yes. (smile)"
"Ever been to Faerieworlds?"
"Oh yes.(grimace)"
"And...? Are you going this year?"
"Not likely."
"Because...? (He was leading me; I saw those free passes he was fondling trying to get a read on my worthiness.)"
"Oh, well, you know, we've been there, done that. It's hot and dry and... (And it's 40 damn dollars a ticket and there's no way in hell I'm paying that much for something so fucking lame and aggravating.)"
"We could really use some more Greenmans. Can you believe there aren't any Greenmans?"
Yes, it's why we've been getting free passes all these years and I see it's about to happen again.
And, it did.
Dammit!
We went.
I can't let an 80$ opportunity slip; we even gave up a precious weekend at the coast cabin to attend.

Breaking the 4th wall with Helper Dog, Zabriskie

They want Greenman. They need Greenman. They expect Greenman, and like a Judas- I offered him up.
Not that he minds.
How I dragged my feet that Sunday.
And CAM was pretty slow getting into character, too.
But here's the good thing about low expectations- you're seldom disappointed!
What a difference those two years had made: though still in the middle of Emerald Meadows, 'The Realm' had grown exponentially in size.
True, there were the same scads of booths selling items which held no interest for me. But now appeared things *I* was coveting; so fine, fancy, unique and pretty.
More food options, drinks, shade structures, interactive entertainment, things for kids and a WATER truck! Finally the organizers had picked up the clue phone re. that which makes up most of the human body.
Even more impressive was the full participation of most attendants.
Costumes worn by just about everyone and decent ones at that; folks had put time and thought into what they were wearing (more so than I.)

CAM with other costume contest winners

One of the best (& hottest)

And the vibe- it was there! Conversations all over with people who really 'got' it: the event, the place, the reason, the sanctity (posers were few and far between.) Strangely enough, it seemed far more attendants were from outside the area, which was telling.

By Sunday you'd think everyone would be tired and cranky and impatient, but this wasn't the case at all: fresh, friendly, engaging and happy to be a part of the gathering.

So encouraging! And here I was all set to be a bitter curmudgeon and bide my time until Mr. Important was ready to go home.

Then I noticed that The Frouds were nowhere to be seen. Coincidence? I harbor no ill will against them personally, but it did seem curious that the tone of the event without them around was dramatically changed.
All told, we had a great time.
CAM was one of the winners of the costume contest (garnering a 'Woodland' CD which was funny in that he'd planned to buy one anyway.)
Upon pulling into the lot, I told the attendant we'd rather not pay the 10$ for parking, at which he returned our bill along with a sticker pass. (Never hurts to ask.)
Different and tasty food, most excellent mead at a darling 'tavern'.
And Omnia- a wicked awesome Neo-Celtic Pagan Folk Rock Band- blew my mind. Unabashed in flagrantly dropping the F-bomb (on Family Day, no less!) to their songs' subject matter (Cernunnos, Earth Warrior, IRA anthem), they totally rocked it and I was so happy to have been a member of the riveted audience for this inaugural USA appearance.
Well, color me wrong: I've changed my tune over Faerieworlds and will be scheming a return.

*These links to copyrighted photos of FW '08.
Greenman's easy to spot and I'm the one beside him.
We're in front
Greenman X 2
Yours Truly Closeup!
Spiral Dance Overview

Greenman intrigued by nifty sound gadget  (Note* the small print sign!)

Amy Brown's booth
She's a crowd favorite, and albeit very talented with her subject matter, it doesn't really do anything for me.

Lots more vendors this time around in the uber hot sunshine.

'The Realm' August 2013

Popular Guy is in many strangers' photos

Meanwhile, back with the boozer-
At 'Oberon's Traveling Tavern' appreciating marvelous mead. And then a seasonal IPA from Hop Valley, mighty refreshing for a set at the main stage.

With the omnipresent H2O bottle.

'11/Outside the gates: what a difference some mead makes