The last table has been put away. The final portapotty has disappeared around the bend, dozens of pavilion roofs and walls are folded in the shed, and my sunburn has finished peeling from my shoulders. This can only mean that another Heartland Pagan Festival has come to an end at Gaea Retreat Center. This year's version of the now-venerable event in Leavenworth County, Kansas may very well have been the best of the run.

Each year since 1986, Pagans from all over the Midwest and points beyond have gathered in or near the Kansas City area to celebrate their differences and their commonalities, to teach about their diverse paths, cultures, traditions and practices. Over the years, Heartland Pagan Festival has grown from an intimate event of 300 to one which now draws 1,000 to 1,200 souls, each bringing something unique, exciting and spiritual to share with their fellow attendees. If glorious weather, peace, enjoyment and a deep feeling of spiritual togetherness are any indications of success, than "HPF 2005-Twenty Years of Magick" was perhaps the most successful Heartland of them all.

Thursday's Opening Ritual brought together several of the founders and early driving forces behind the creation and sustention of HPF so that they could be introduced to the attendees and honored by all for the vision and persistence in getting the fledgling event off the ground. Honorees were presented with small leather pouches containing representations of the four elements, which had been gathered from the grounds of HPF's now permanent home, Gaea Retreat Center. Many of the honorees had not seen one another for ten years or more, and the reunion and ceremony were touching and sincere. As further symbol of HSA's history and future, the HSA athame, a ceremonial blade created early in the history of the organization, was presented in its first ritual use since its restoration by its creators, Govannan and Ken Ra. The refurbished blade now gleams as new, and is protected for the use of future HSA Presidents in a new, beautifully handcrafted presentation case.

Following Opening Ritual, some 500 individuals enjoyed a complimentary chili dinner by the light of a perfect sunset, followed by our popular Talent Show hosted by local bard John "Estron" Mitchell. The Talent Show has grown in participants and quality under his supervision these past few years, and HPF attendees were presented with a dizzying array of music, poetry, fire performers and dancers.

HPF 2005 featured our largest lineup of Honored Guest Speakers (five), Special Guest Speakers (two), Honored Guest Performers (four) and Special Guest Performers (three) ever. Throw into the mix over 80 workshops presented by attendees and HSA members, and you can see that each day of Fest was filled to overflowing with insightful presentations and entertaining musical events. Honored Guests Christopher Penczak, Marjorie Van Buren, Ellen Duggan, Edain McCoy and Raven Grimassi shared with HPF attendees their knowledge of subjects ranging from gardening to energy work and everything in-between over the course of Fest. They also spent many hours engaged in conversation and book signings in our Magickal Merchants area. The opportunity to spend one-on-one time with some of the most learned and widely published authors and practitioners in the world is one of the most special and endearing qualities of HPF year after year, and our Honored Guests were very generous and gracious with their time. HSA owes these individuals hearty thanks for their participation, their wonderful personalities and their terrific patience and sunny dispositions during their time with us.

In addition to our headline speakers, HPF was also privileged to host a special event; a book release party for Mike Nichols on the occasion of the publication of "The Witches Sabbats". Mike is an elder of the Kansas City Pagan community, and his scholarly writings are known the world over thanks to the old PODS BBS network and today's Internet. At last, we have the benefit of not only his writings, but also his research and bibliography, all in one handy and beautifully printed publication (thanks to Jim and Kel of Acorn Guild Press). Mike was also an early promoter and supporter of HPF, and so the event was doubly auspicious and timely for that reason.

Friday night's concert was a memorable Heartland musical presentation, featuring both new friends and an old favorite. Opening the evening was up and coming percussion ensemble Djembe Kaan, featuring authentic and traditional African rhythms mixed together with great enthusiasm and showmanship, all designed to whip an audience into a writhing, dancing frenzy. A radical change of pace was used to fine effect as the drumming octet was followed by a solo set from Pagan music icon Charlie Murphy in his first Heartland appearance in over seven years. Charlie made the most of his performance, weaving his trademark blend of spirituality, humanity and politics before a rapt audience. When everyone spilled out of the Pavilion that evening, it was with a feeling that they'd seen a splendid cross section of Pagan entertainments and expression.

Saturday at HPF is the traditional day for Main Ritual, the centerpiece of the many and varied rituals held during the course of Fest. This year, the attendees witnessed a presentation of the Descent of the Goddess, surrounded by a physical barrier of diaphanous material erected to represent circle, material which was held up by twenty poles from which flew banners displaying the t-shirt artwork from all twenty Heartland Pagan Festivals. Special notice must be given to Ruairi Gorbas, who batiked each of these beautiful historic items especially for this anniversary event.

The Descent of the Goddess was presented as a narrated pantomime, with our own lovely Karen and equally handsome Ashe portraying (indeed, channeling) the Goddess and the God. The Goddess moved through each of the seven gates (gates portrayed by participants dressed and masked in colors representing the chakras), giving up her plain and earthly raiment until she stands before the God, skyclad. She is ritually scourged and then given the fivefold kiss by the God, her lover. During this ritual conceived by Selene and produced by the HSA Ritual Committee, the union of the God and Goddess was also blessed by the serendipitous appearance of a glorious rainbow stretching across the Southern sky of Gaea, a manifestation which I personally have chosen as a sign that things were going very well indeed!

Sunday night's concerts showcased two bands fresh from the musically productive venues of Austin, Texas; Canvas and Spoonfed Tribe. Coming on the heels of the more traditional and folky shows from Friday, the cutting-edge pop/alternative sound of Canvas and the polystylistic Spoonfed set rounded out a main stage weekend that had something for everyone. For the first time this year, HPF also featured a "Picnic in the Pavilion" performance slot on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Skinny White Chick (SJ Tucker), The Joes (Big Joe and Little Joe of Sona) and Sede provided wonderful casual entertainment opportunities for our attendees, and hopefully they all sold some CDs and goodies to help out with the gas money. HSA appreciates the donation of their time and talents! Finally, as if four main concerts, three lunch shows and numerous campfire and bardic circle performances weren't entertainment enough, perennial HPF favorites Dreamtrybe gathered together in the Merchant's Circle to do an "unplugged" set, passing the hat to fund a trip to perform in Atlanta following HPF. Many good things were said about the musical extras, so look for more of this at future Heartlands.

No HPF - indeed, no Pagan festival - would be complete without enormous and stunning bonfires for dancing and drumming, and HSA is fortunate to have a pyromaniacal facilitator par excellance...the aforementioned Ashe, supported by the unique and energetic members of Heretic Camp. Night after night, year after year, Ashe and crew outdo themselves with ever-growing, ever-glowing bonfires of spectacular proportion. Sunday night's fire for HPF 2005, if not visible from space, was certainly visible to anyone standing far enough behind the safety perimeter to escape the phosphoric brilliance and plumes of smoke from the NASA-quality ignition sequence. Soon, what appeared to be a miniature replica of the Eiffel Tower was burning with thermonuclear ferocity, the drums and dancing only adding a glow within to the glow without.

We always hate to see Monday come, but come it does, and so we have to say goodbye until next year. Hopefully, this year's parting was made a bit sweeter for those who attended our Closing Ritual, an old-fashioned "Pagan Revival" hosted by Sister Sunny Moonbeam, Brother John and circuit preacher Brother Prometheus. The Rainbow Choir sang your favorite selections from the Pagan hymnal, and Brother Prometheus put the love of the Goddess and the God firmly into the hearts of the 100 or so attendees. Cries of "Blessed Be!" and "Praise the Goddess!" resounded from the Pavilion roof, and the newly converted came onstage to testify to the power of Gaea and their faith in themselves. We all went home with smiles on our faces and some very, very interesting songs in our hearts.

By all accounts, Heartland Pagan Festival 2005 - Twenty Years of Magick was a resounding success. From our 70+ merchants, to Pagan Radio, from the reborn Vision Quest (over 200 participants saying profoundly positive things again this year!) to the upgraded medical and Safety facilities, everything went perfectly, divinely...superbly. Things that might have been problems either evaporated or were quickly turned into positives with a bit of deliberation and simple human decency. From participants to members, every individual was a blessing, every new face a new friend.

For me, HPF 2005 was an energizing and revitalizing experience, and I am proud and humbled to have been fortunate enough to be a small part of putting it on. If you enjoyed HPF 2005, please, find an HSA member and let them know what it was like for *you*.

Until next year,
Blessed Be.

Patrick Chambers, President
HEARTLAND SPIRITUAL ALLIANCE 2004-2006