Maidens of the 12 months of the year awaiting the approach of the Great Grump and the Autumn Equinox Procession.
Crested Butte, Colorado --Our mountain Village lives the Healing Story and Embodies the Positive myth of local Place Spirit and our Ancestors. There is no other Heritage and Earth-Awareness Festival like it in North America!--Perhaps the world!
During this week of joyous, ecstatic ceremony, ritual, celebration in preparation for the Sacred Marriage of the Green Man and Sovereignty--the Northern European name of the Goddess Earth As the Grail Quest identified: "The Lord, and the Leader is the Land. The Land is the Leader." In this sacrament, the man chosen by the women in the community commits to a Handfasting, the ancient wedding of commitment for a year and a day. He contracts for all the villagers, to honor and to bow to all that Sovereignty teaches and requires. The entire village shares in the Re-Commitment Ceremony as we promise to preserve and protect our Wilderness and the fragile Rocky Mountain environments of Nature which surround us.
For How-To Create your own Autumn Harvest and All-Community Revitalizing Festival, see great images, follow easy guidance and discover rich Earth Honoring information at: vinotok.org "What a blast! I have never felt so united with the valley and my community like I did tonight." ~ Amalie Lester, Gunnison CO ~ During the Autumn Equinox and season of Mabon, we share 2 wild and wonderful weeks of Storytelling, Earth-Honoring Celebration of the Sacred Feminine, Sacred Masculine and the balance of All Life. We do this by selecting a Green Man and invoking Cernunnos, Herne and Thor, the Great Huntsmen-Protectors--Fathers of Forest and Field. We call all of Nature to join us in the form of mountains, animals, magickal creatures. We welcome the very pregnant Harvest Mother, Honor the Earth Dragon and our Wilderness, Create All-Community HandFasting, Wedding and Re-Commitment Ceremony, Harvest Feasting and 4-story Bonfire to release the grievances of the past. Join us for joyous dancing in the Streets. BLESSING, RELEASING AND BECKONING THE FUTURE--TOGETHER!
TESTIMONIALS: "Thank you for all the life-changing Vinotok celebrations, your storytelliong magic and for holding the tribes together! " ~ Rachel DeVloo, Yoga instructor
"Some of my family's happiest celebrations in Crested Butte have been at Vinotok gatherings. Thank you for being such a cherished community builder. The Womens' Blessing Ceremony at the Sacred Tree will always be cherished in my heart and memories." - Catherine Nelson, Visionary Artist ~ "Thank you for another amazing and awesome Vinotok. You carry the event with grace, purpose and love. The Feast was sweet and truly brought the community together. The street theatre and bonfire night is edgy, yet contained. You shape our community ethos with care. And I want to say thank you! You do remarkable work and we are fortunate that you call Crested Butte your home!" --Caroline McLean, photographer, Earth arts activist, Kundalini Yoga instructor. ~ "I think Vinotok thrives because it is a chance to act out the GOOD we hope to be in the MYSTERY." ~ Lee Rife, Writer, IT innovator and Storyteller, St. Paul MN ~ "This was my second Vinotok, but not my last. This year it was snowing and cold, last year it was sunny and beautiful. Either way, we all had a blast. Crested Butte is beautiful year round, but it's jaw-droppingly beautiful at this time of year....I cannot recommend it highly enough." ~ David Randall ~ "Love this festival! Always a great week, the people and community are awesome! This is a yearly tradition for us." ~ Jessica Wims, Crested Butte. ~ "I have a beautiful story of love and soul mates, and I have to accredit you. My name is Rachel and I have had the honr to participate in the life-changing celebration and tradition of Vinotok. I first participated as a Maiden of the Year, then to dancing in the streets as a Mood-Maker...then last year was full-circle as I Harvest Danced (while pregnant) to honor the fertility of the valley and the Harvest Mother. Vinotok has always showered me with life-changing blessings and is what brought me to this magical valley that will ALWAYS be home. I met the love of my life at Vinotok Liars' Night, 2014, and I knew the moment I saw him. Rising of the sap! We knew it was true as the Great Grump effigy carrying all of the grievances the village and calling the wishes to beckon in the giant bonfire. And I danced, truly embracing my elk woman self that night." --Rachel Christensen, Tribal Dance Artist, Mother, Holistic Healer.--Kuai & Pagosa Springs, CO
The Art and Spirit of the Green Man--literally embodying joy, life and protection of all that is Wild within us and the Natural World around us.
HandFasting Ceremony with the Harvest Mother and Father and Recommitment Celebration of the entire community.
Four-story Bonfire at the Village Crossroads. Banishing Grumps from the passing year, Beckoning Blessing for the coming year.
A cast and production guild of 250 community folks create our week-long ceremonial festivities.
Autumn Equinox Procession. The Red Lady, regal embodiment of our Mother Mountain being carried in front of the Great Grump effigy. Burn the Grump! Save the Red Lady Mountain from extractive mining!