Twenty years ago, a small group of visionary Pagans deliberated, planned and brought forth the first Pagan festival to be held in the Kansas City area. The Council of the Southwinds could have scarcely envisioned that their first event, featuring Starhawk as its main guest speaker, would someday grow to become one of the largest Pagan festivals in the entire country.

After years of bouncing to and fro between scout camps and other rented facilities, Heartland Pagan Festival came home to roost at beautiful Camp Gaea, the festival's home since 1992. Owned and cared for by Earth Rising, Incorporated, Gaea's 360-odd quiet acres hold some 1,000 to 1,300 Pagans each Memorial Day weekend, the recurring dates for the annual event sponsored by Heartland Spiritual Alliance. Beginning with Open Ritual on Thursday evening and continuing through the Memorial Day closing ritual, Heartland Pagan Festival offers well-known Pagan authors and performers on an up-close and personal basis to curious and interested seekers of education and entertainment.