Witchsfest USA 2021 and why do we continue to attend these events in Post-Covid times?
Witchsfest USA 2021
If you follow my content on social media (Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter) you will have noticed for sure that I have not stopped posting photos of this event, although two days of the event were entirely online (Friday and Sunday), the main day of the event It was a Saturday live at the same location as always, Astor Place in Manhattan, New York.
And here my Husband helping to sell my new book "Manifestation Magic".
My story with Witchsfest USA.
I arrived in New York City in September 2015 and at that time I had no contact with any author, teacher, or organizer of any these events, it was until July 2016 when I attended my first Witchsfest, in this case at my invitation. editor (Judika Illes) who told me about the event and recommended that I attend to learn about the pagan movement of the city, which is clearly very different from the pagan movements that you can observe in Latin America.
An entire street dedicated to the event, costumes, live workshops, vendors, dancers, etc...
Since that time I have not stopped attending the event, although never as a presenter but as an assistant (and practically as a volunteer photographer, lol), every year since then I have tried to keep my schedule clean during the days around the event to attend the minus two of the three days, buy some candles and herbs, socialize a bit, and take photos for my social media, essentially just that.
In 2019, Starr Ann Ravenhawk, who organizes the event every year, invited me to offer classes and although I said no at first (because of my accent) she convinced me that if I could do it and then I agreed to attend "yes the following year I was still in the US "depending more on my Visa than on my own disposition. Then 2020 happened and the rest is history.
2020 and the first online Witchsfest
A hundred thousand things happened in 2020, and this led us to attend online events, it was a complicated year for many and in many aspects, the events were no exception.
There are about 60 face-to-face events of paganism and witchcraft in the USA, 2020 led to many of these events (those that were financially capable of doing so) moving to the online platform. Some events have taken one or two years to recharge before returning to face-to-face mode, but the most complicated thing has been the promotion for the event organizers since the events have already gone from being "the only face-to-face event in this city" to be "another online event", and as a publicist with more than ten years of career, I have seen so many mistakes happen between one event and another that I could write a long list about it, which makes me thankful that I am only an assistant and not an organizer because I'm not cut out for that stress level.
The Witchsfest (online) 2020 ran quite well, the online platform had the occasional glitch (as is to be expected from an event that occurs online for the first time), and even so, it had high attendance, online vendors, virtually full classrooms, the virtual concert included, online workshops for all tastes, in general, it was a great event with very good results.
Pro of online events:
1. Instead of limiting yourself to the event in the city that you may not want to attend, you have a greater variety of options and you can attend the event with the presenters and workshops of your choice.
2. The "Meet and Greet" via zoom works as a magnificent channel to make contact from the comfort of your home, it reminds me a bit of the old Yahoo MSN chat rooms (yes, I'm old, I know).
3. Live music and show, perhaps many times with a questionable volume level, but live.
Against:
1. Online events cost money, platforms, services, organization, etc ... it costs money, a lot of money, insurance many times you attend these face-to-face events without much money just "to see what is going on" and convince you to take some classes or buy some products.
2. Although online you have the "Meet and Greet" that leads you to socialize with many attendees from other cities and countries, it also greatly limits the level of depth of interaction with these people, zero hugs, greetings, conversations in private with a reader, some fans, or some author that you follow.
3. ZERO, ABSOLUTELY ZERO smells the candles, creams, oils, and herbs that you are buying, which for me is important to judge the quality of the product that I am buying.
4. Christian Protestants with a microphone in the middle of the street, interrupting classes and an attack against the free will and right to freedom of expression and freedom of belief of the attendees is certainly detestable, disgusting, and they give something of pity because it is clear that these people have nothing more productive to do with their lives (such as visiting family, walking in the park, going to church, reading a book, watching a movie, visiting the museum, exercising, have sex, play video games, hang out with friends, have more sex, do therapy).
Witchsfest USA 2021
We survived 2020 and here we are. the return of the Witchsfest to the streets was wonderful, positive, joyful, interactive, it was a time of coexistence with our people.
We meet again with people that we had not seen for one or two years, we interact with ours, with those followers of social networks whom we have never seen live, we take photos together to tell the world "here we are" and we give each other some support. To others, most importantly, we show the world two things, we show them that we are not just an online witches movement, but on the contrary, we are here in the real world, and second, we show those closet witches and wizards who feel that the esoteric world is limited to online communities "hey, here is a safe space for you, come with us and show us how strange you think you are, here we are all outcasts, outsiders, misfits and we are all together".
PLUS: Not every day you have the perfect excuse to put on makeup and dress in your favorite very witchy outfits and go to a place where no one is judging you for it.
Here below I attach more photos, and I hope to see you all next year at Witchsfest 2022.
with love, Elhoim Leafar.
~Check my new book:
"Manifestation Magic: 21 Rituals, Spells, and Amulets for Abundance, Prosperity, and Wealth", Available here and here.
~Check my next online two-hours-Class:
Abundance, Health, Protection, & Love, w/ the Orishas (Open Rituals) HERE
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