Okay, how many of you have ever attended a Pagan festival? Okay, how many of those have felt "I could do a better job of running a festival?" Want to bet? Do you think these things grow organically? Just plant the seed of an idea and it will all come together. Sure it will…and if you believe that I have some ocean-front property in Arizona I want to unload.
I started reading this book and was immediately transported to some of the festivals I attended years ago, during the infancy of the festival movement. Admittedly, it has been years since I have been able to attend, but I definitely could sympathize with some of the events she related.
My first experience of festival attendance was an over-nighter in the Midwest and everything went perfectly (except for the biker gang that wanted to have a "witch hunt"). We managed to survive that encounter without any bloodshed and only a few hangovers in the morning.
Tish offers plenty of suggestions and personal experiences to illustrate the joys, and sorrows, of running a festival. She writes in a friendly, easy to understand style. This book is one that has needed writing for quite a while. I am gratified that it has finally made its way into print. No, I don't plan to run a festival, but I really feel that the festival-going Pagan community needs to know what goes into make a festival happen.
Of course, there are some things at any festival that you will not be happy with. Maybe this will inspire you to offer constructive suggestions, and perhaps even cause you to volunteer your time and experience to make the next festival more enjoyable for all.
After reading this book you will, I hope, have more understanding of what the festival organizers have gone through in order to attract you, your friends, and all those VIPs to the festival. And you will, I sincerely hope, take the time to express your appreciation to those individuals.
Chasing the Rainbow: Facilitating a Pagan Festival Without Losing Your Mind by Tish Owen. At long last, local Nashville store owner (Goddess and the Moon) and Pagan Unity Festival (PUF) coordinator Tish Owen has published her book. If you are planning on starting your own pagan festival, this book brings you 10 years of wisdom from one of the greatest pagan festival planners of all time. http://www.blessedbe.sugarbane.com/index.html
Tish Owen's "Chasing The Rainbow: Facilitating a Pagan Festival" is a must-read for anyone planning a pagan festival or any other similar event. Having attended many pagan festivals all over the country, I must say that the Pagan Unity Festival is, without question, one of the best managed events I've ever attended. The logistics and activities are handled in a smooth and thoroughly professional manner. People know what they can expect and what is expected of them. As a result, they can relax, enjoy themselves and feel safe. When problems have arisen at PUF, they are handled in the same efficient manner with style and grace. In short, Tish Owen has a proven recipe for success outlined in this little tome. I only wish something like "Chasing The Rainbow" had been available in years past.
Shadowdancer "Powwow Doctor" Bowling Green, Kentucky
A Must-read for Festival Organizers and Festival-goers! Chasing The Rainbow should be considered required reading for not only festival organizers, but also for those that attend festivals. Tish Owen's style of writing is easy to read, humorous and to the point. If you're looking to do something altruistic & want to improve the general quality of festivals being held all around the country, buy a truckload of copies of this book and hand them out to every organizer and attendee you know that can read! And her information can be applied to most festivals, not just the pagan-oriented ones. If you take the time to read it, you will have the information that is essential for running your own festival or how to be the perfect participant at anyone else's. Plus, it is an entertaining read, full of amusing stories of actual events. Buy this book, you won't regret it!
M. A. Bustamonte "Day Star" Asheville, NC
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A Fine First Outing About Building a Fine First Outing. I once saw a sign posted outside an encampment at an SCA event that read "Only Pennsic is worth the hassle that only Pennsic is." Here in the Pagan world, the same can be said of almost any gathering or festival put on for the Pagan community. Anyone who has tried to organize such and undertaking knows the difficulty involved, and the tremendous feeling of relief when everything goes right and the event is a success.
Tish Owen's new book, Chasing the Rainbow: Facilitating A Pagan Festival is less a how to book than a conversation on paper in which the author relates through practical, been-there advice what to do and not do when organizing an event. Her experiences as the founder and organizer of one of the Midsouth's most popular festivals shines through in this chatty, friendly tome. From what kind of festival you want to have to how many are coming for dinner, this book offers the best sort of advice to put a festival organizer, or anyone who might want to work at a festival, on the right path to creating a fantastic event.
This book should be useful not just for major festival staff, but for anyone putting on a Pagan event of any size. Tish relates not just the lessons she's learned as organizer of Pagan Unity Festival, but as a Coven leader and community organizer for everything from Pagan Pride Days to one day Sabbat celebrations. There are an number of things that can go right and go wrong with an event of any size; this book is great guide to how to make things go as right as possible.
My only complaint with this book is it could have gone into more detail on almost every subject, but at the same time, covering every possible aspect of festival management would require a book probably three or four times the size of this volume. We can only hope that this fine book is the first of many on the subject from this author.
Michael B. Hubbard "Pagan priest and writer" Nashville, TN
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A Great Festival Trouble-Shooting Guide! Tish Owen has lain out every aspect of putting together a major festival, with humor, style and a touch of chagrin. She admits to 'learning as we grow' tactical errors and shares PUF moments transformed by good will, versatility and laughter. Your own festival is guaranteed not to fail, if you follow her clear-cut guidelines. I and other 'festival folk' thank you profusely, Tish!
Bronwynn Forrest Torgerson Glendale, Arizona
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Tons of fun! Tish is my hero. This book is filled with a lot of really great ideas and things to think about in a fun way. I've re-read it several times just to laugh at all the fun experiences. Having worked on festival planning staffs, this book should be required reading!
Glasswitch Haymarket, VA
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What a great manual for all your festival needs. With over 10 years of experience Ms. Owen has taken all of her knowledge from the good the bad and the ugly and created a phenomenal manual for holding a pagan festival. But this manual can transcend to a higher level and be used by people of all religions to assist in creating a great festival, event or convention without reinventing the wheel.
Elizabeth Parrott Nashville, TN
*This book will be released on December 20, 2009
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