With the first annual Western Slope Pagan Pride Day soon to be upon the Grand Valley, Susan Cypher and The Nightbird Band undertook a novel way to invite people to come down and join in this day of learning and fun. Humoring their mildly insane leader, Susan, the band had a fun time with the Sesame-Street Flu, while promoting the new chapter of The International Pagan Pride Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to the elimination of prejudice and religious discrimination through education, activism, and charity. Dave, their faithful drummer, handled the camera for this Dr. Seuss-influenced video. (He's still holding out hope that his wife, Susan, will eventually be cured of this unusual flu strain. There is no known vaccine at this point in time).
On a serious note, WSPP will be collecting food on Pagan Pride Day for Catholic Outreach, while celebrating the Autumn Equinox, a time of Thanksgiving for a lot of pagans. To this end, they are asking attendees to bring in a non-perishable food item, knowing the harvest this year, for many people in our beautiful valley, has been rather slim.
The event is free to the public and will be featuring a speaker; belly, modern, and tango dancers; workshops; music; vendors; two open rituals; and a silent auction. The Grand Junction Flea Market at 515 South 7th Street is kindly hosting the event, which will run (as the video says) from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. There will be people present in the WSPP's booth all day to answer questions, with Chris Heinze (3rd-degree Elder) on hand to field questions from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Workshops and times will be detailed in the brochure the day of the event.
The schedule of events is listed below.
9:00 a.m., Flea Market Gates Open.
10:00 a.m., Welcome and Announcements, featuring the poem, "Ritual" by Suzanne Bronson, as read by Susan Cypher.
10:15 to 11:00 a.m., Open Ritual, Lead by Kat Ogren
11:00 to 11:45 a.m., Eldreth, Singer/Guitarist
12:00 to 12:35 p.m., Samuel Baseler, Metaphysician, New Eden
12:40 to 2:40 p.m., Susan Cypher & The Nightbird Band, featuring choreography by Mary and Natasha Krasnow, and Lylamae Chedsey of Khubsurat-Ruh; Terry Catlin, Tribalaura, Kimberly Gill-Page Bryant, Nicole Leech of Tribal Belly Fusion; Scott and Alice Betts of Tango Junction; Gretchen McGeeney and Natasha Krasnow--Modern Dance.
2:55 to 5:00 p.m., Heartbeat (Tribal Rock from Blackhawk, CO) will provide fabulous music to dance us into our closing ceremonies.
5:15 to 6:00 p.m., Open Ritual, Lead by Patricia Arensmeyer.
Once again, heartfelt thanks to the sponsors of WSPPD: Universal Connections; Moe Ping’s Kool Things; Grand Junction Flea Market; Keleen Lambert of New Wellness 4 U; Susan Cypher & The Nightbird; Tenacious Brothers Pub; Kat Ogren; Sound Healing with Connie Rose; HR Gerrard, Mountain States Welder Repair; Liberty 2 Tattoo; Grand Mesa Graphics; Roasted; and Gaea McGlothlin.
PS: Be on the lookout for future adventures into the oft-times rhyme-laden world of The Nightbird Band (I hear they're really grand).
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