The first Pagan Pride Day on the Treasure Coast took place Saturday, September 13, 2014 in Fort Pierce, FL. Clouds loomed early in the day during setup, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of the staff volunteers or their organizer, Kathy Lezon. “I was confident we would have a great event, rain or shine, but I’m grateful that Mother Nature granted us bright sun and constant breeze,” said Lezon after the event.
125 people came and enjoyed the beautiful scenery provided by The Savannas Recreation Area, while shopping at various vendors and getting to speak with representatives of local Pagan groups. Pagan DJ, Jerry J. also known as The Ragin’ Pagan, provided a great mix of Pagan music during the event.
A ritual by Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship started the day and a later Harvest Ritual was presented by the staff of Treasure Coast Pagan Pride Day. Workshops included Oghams: Reading the Staves, Poppets: Not Your Grandma’s Voodoo Dolls, and an Introduction to Polytheistic Practice.
A midday concert by Mama Gina was a huge hit with the audience singing along to songs like “Ruby” and “Cerridwen’s Cauldron”. The kids enjoyed a bounce house, crafts, and “Hippy” the Clown.
The Pagan Pride Project is a non-profit organization whose aims are to promote understanding of Paganism, support various charities, and bring Pagan communities closer together. The first ever Pagan Pride Day was held on September 19, 1998. There are now over 1000 Pagan Pride Days in the United States, and almost 50 international events.
Treasure Coast Pagan Pride Day also hosted a food drive for the Treasure Coast Food Bank, and collected 165lbs of food. Most Pagan Pride Days host a food drive for delivery to a local food bank or animal shelter.
More information about the Treasure Coast Pagan Pride Day can be found at http://www.tcppd.org, Facebook and Twitter.