Wednesday July 29 - Monday August 03, 2009

Greetings,

We welcome everyone to join our community in celebrating Lammas and our 20th Anniversary. As such our theme will be the Best of the Last 20 Years. We will be changing the theme daily to reflect our favourites themes over the years.

Check back to our website on the Programming Link to know which of your costumes and props to bring.

We will once again be holding fest at Whispering Pines a private campground that is being closed for our use. This amazing site has a great beach, in ground pool, drive up campsites that are level and rock free. There is no bathing in the lake but there are two showers. We must respect the wishes of the owners of the campground as they live onsite. Admittance to the site is on Wednesday (if you come earlier, then be sure to register at the Whispering Pines office) and remember to register for the Kaleidoscope Gathering at our registration tent. Also, there are no pets, except disability aid dogs.

This year...

I am pleased to say we have Gavin and Yvonne Frost attending Kaleidoscope this year. Gavin and Yvonne seem to have been around forever in the American scene. They have written over 30 books, published in five languages, and they are always controversial and at the forefront of debates on Wiccan philosophy and magic. Founded in 1968, their Church and School of Wicca asserts a claim to being the first to "articulate the Craft as an alternative spiritual path".

We also have the return of Colores Andinos also known as Sound of the Andes. The band performs an original musical exploration into Latin-Andean fusion. Its members come originally from Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Peru and Canada

Bollywood Cocktail Party: Our cocktail party this year will be hosted by my dear friends and fellow festival organizers Fox and Tameika of Spirits of the Earth fame. Check out their festival at www.spiritsfest.com. We have themed the cocktail party after the wonderfully fun Bollywood Movies. Therefore wear your finest Bollywood Dress, and join us on Friday evening for cocktails and meet and greet friends new and old. There will be vendors on site to provide the Henna Body art. Please BYOC/M (bring your own cocktail or mocktail).

It amazes me year after year how dedicated the staff is to the festival and how the community comes together. We have a tremendous line of lectures, workshops and concerts this year. I am very grateful to those who come each year and share their wisdom and I am equally impressed by those who share their knowledge for the first time. The theme each year inspires someone to realize that they have something to contribute to our community. If you would like to contribute a workshop please send an outline to austin.lawrence@rogers.com
Hurry! The deadline for submissions is Sunday, July 20, 2009.

If you intend to vend at Kaleidoscope this year please know that vendors are welcome and that there is no additional fee for vending at the festival, simply pay your registration fee. You are responsible for your own set up. There are two main areas to vend, one where you are able to camp with your vending booth and one where we ask you camp separately due to a lack of space. Please information registration when you arrive that you are vending and what you are planning on selling.

If you have any questions, concerns or kudos, you can speak with either myself or one of the staff members and if we cannot answer your question immediately, we will find an answer for you.

Have a wonderful time and remember, take your garbage home!

Bright Blessings,
Pamela.

NB Jock McGregor would like to make a special request for any past bardic winners to please contact him about this years bardic. benson@personainternet.com