We (yes, including you) need a night to celebrate the liminal spaces and liminal beings, sometimes described as the Otherworld or faeries (but encompassing far more and from many more cultures than what many people imagine hearing that word.) We can bring together performers, artists, and craftspeople viewing these phenomena through the lenses and perspectives of the many cultures that create our community here in Albuquerque.
Why
Real, shared experiences that interact with the senses, other people, and the natural world, helps create neighborhoods from things difficult to define or categorize. Acknowledging the world outside of preconceived binaries and categories matters now more than ever. Tales of the Fae suggest a world much broader and diverse. Faerielore offers us another path, or as recounted in the ballad of Thomas the Rhymer, “And see not ye that bonny road, That winds about the fernie brae?” The tales of Hidden Folk let us know that there is more to experience: creatures neither human nor holy, places between life and death, where time moves differently.
How
Festivals create memories that can sustain and inspire us throughout our lifetimes. We must, with intention, bring elements for all the senses- sound, sight, smell, taste, touch, movement (interoception and proprioception), and time. Each person’s senses must be both excited and allowed periods to relax and process, and be actively engaged through participation. We will feature live music, visual arts, spoken and written word, social dances, and fragrant Fall food.
What
Our gathering will feature depiction in the arts and portrayal of creatures many would expect, such as the Irish sidhe, mermaid, trolls, and selkies, but we will go deeper and draw from more sources to include such beings as rusalkas, djinn, duendes, huldres, menehune, many things described only as ‘elves’ or ‘spirits’, and cryptids of the southwest. Faerielore Music, an overview and preview
Who
if you received this message, the organizers, their friends, or possibly the Hidden People themselves think you may have a role to play in making the Enchantment Gathering happen. You may have a background in relevant folklore, or you may have a passion that intersects. Some aspects of faerielore persist in well known songs and traditions, so if you perform historical or traditional repertoire, we can help you find relevant pieces. The most important thing is interaction. Communicate with other participants to make your particular performance and art connected to others: Performers choosing stories and music that references the work of participating artists, dancers leading the audience to participate in music, food vendors whose tastes and fragrances will evoke the cultures from which we draw these stories, art projected behind storytellers and author readings.
Here are some specific skills we are looking for:
- Visual art, large thematic prints (will need own displays and point of sale tools)
- Goblin Market: small arts and crafts in a shared space
- Performers of themed material
- Dancers and social dance leaders
- Storytellers and dramatists
- Authors of Otherworld themed fantasy
- Bakers and hot drink makers
- Musically (but definitely not limited to) Early Music, Celtic, Mariachi, Corridos, Balkan, Ukrainian, Old Timey, Polynesian
When
Saturday, October 24- a week before Halloween, and near a full moon. This will, we hope, be sufficiently after such events as the Balloon Fiesta and the Albuquerque Folk Festival.
Where
A brewery in the Bricklight District of Albuquerque, south of University of New Mexico- family and dog-friendly, non-smoking venue, with a large, outdoor patio features heat lamps and a fire pit, and multiple gender-neutral restrooms This venue allows outside food, and deliveries from the many nearby restaurants.
Contact
We will organize and promote this event in ways that do not rely on the algorithms of social media platforms. If this sounds like something you want to be part of, please send me a message here.