Fairy Congress 2006
THE SITE
The Skalitude Retreat Center is a beautiful site for the Congress. It is nestled at the end of a remote mountain valley in the North Cascades in the Methow Valley watershed. The main inhabitants are ponderosa pines, douglas firs, aspens, bunchgrasses, countless wildflowers, deer, coyotes, and bear; and many fairies.
The Retreat Center is a 160-acre site surrounded by National Forest. Facilities include a large, log-cabin lodge which is the fairy art gallery and a workshop area. The Sky Lodge is a beautiful, winged structure, somewhat akin to a flattened out tipi. It is 54 feet across, 2200 square feet and can hold hundreds of people. We have a large, roofed, outdoor kitchen where we prepare our common meals. There will also be a tea kitchen. Many of the Congress activities take place outdoors.
Most of the Congress facilities are set up in one end of an expansive meadow ringed by forests and mountains. The adjacent forest provides shady camping and workshop space.
The layout this year will include a '"town square" . Surrounding the square will be the kitchen, tea kitchen, and dining areas as well as schedule board, children's area, first-aid, healing area, costuming and vendor booths.
The large Sky-Lodge will be set up in it's usual place just past the town square, followed by the 'fairy crossroads' which we will all help build and create during the Congress. We hold our big circles in a large open space to one side.
CIRCLE OF PEACE FLAGS
Anyone who attended the 2003 Fairy & Human Relations Congress will remember the dramatic circle of 40 white, peace flags. The circle of peace flags will be set up at Fairy Congress this year as well.
CAMPING AND ACCOMODATIONS
The gathering is mainly a campout event at the Skalitude Retreat Center. The grounds are really great for camping. Most people bring tents but some people stay in their vans, RV's or live-in rigs. The few bedrooms on-site are reserved for some of the presenters. Some locals commute. Some people stay in local motels.
If you are looking for local lodging the Country Town Motel still has about 5 rooms for that weekend (as of June 6) (509) 997-3432. This is the closest motel to the site. About 7 miles.
The next closest motel is the Idle-A-While Motel in Twisp (17 miles away) their phone # is 997-3222.
FOOD
Three meals a day are available to everyone. Tasty, healthy food prepared by our loving cooks and volunteers. Participants are requested to bring food to donate to the common kitchen. We especially appreciate people bringing food from their gardens, orchards and wildcrafting. Lots of fresh greens, vegetables, fruit, seaweed, nuts, seeds, sprouts and other tasty, healthful foods. If you go shopping for your food contribution, organic is preferred.
Our kitchen crew's goal is to provide a range of food that will meet everyone's needs. Meals are vegetarian. There is always raw food. There is always wheat-free, soy-free and dairy-free foods. Some people have special diets and bring their own food. This is fine, but we do not allow cooking fires at campsites. Some people bring their favorite snacks and keep them at their camp.
WATER
There is a deep well at Skalitude which will provie water for drinking, cooking, cleaning and showers. We also set up a mister where people can get wet and cool down. The stream may still be running during the Congress. If you want to take a dip in the magnificent Methow on the way to or from Skalitude there is a lovely public swimming hole on the Methow River in the tiny town of Carlton, 8 miles from the Congress. On the north side of the bridge.
TERRAIN
Some Congress participants take walks or even hikes into the surrounding mountainous terrain; but most participants stay on the grass floor and gentle terrain of our core area. The ground is level in the main congress area. There is a slight grade up to the parking area and the lodge which is a 5 minute stroll for most people. Some elderly or disadvantaged people have to go slowly and stick to paths and roads, but so far all have been able to make it. It would be difficult in a wheelchair though. Take a look at the photos on Skalitude's web site to get an idea what it looks like.
FAIRY ART GALLERY
We will turn the walls of the Center's log-cabin lodge into a gallery of artwork relating to fairies, angels, devas, etc. Everyone is invited to bring appropriate artwork they wish to display. Your own or other people's.
HEALING AREA
We set up an area with massage tables so that people can give massages or give healing treatments. The space is open for people to give or receive treatments. There will be a sign up list, but it is mostly self-serve. Massage tables or massage chairs are appreciated if you could bring one. If you would like to help in this area contact Laura Sweaney at ceadub@juno.com
HUMAN AND FAIRY MEDITATIONS
The joint human and fairy meditations are powerful parts of the Congress. The meditations are followed by a quiet period to write down messages. Over 100 of the messages have been published in writing and on our website These messages are a way for fairies to reach humanity with their messages. The meditations are sometimes followed by small discussion groups and a short plenary session in which people are able to share some of the extraordinary experiences they had during the meditation. We are giving the meditation period more prime time this year.
FAIRY CONCERT
The Fairy Concert will be on Friday evening this year. Burke Mulvaney will be stage manager for the 6th year in a row and locals, Joyce and Bernie, will set up their sound system as usual.
* Robert J. Stewart has been one of star performers at all of the Fairy Congress' concerts. Robert will play stringed instruments, sing fairy ballads in his Scottish brougue and perhaps have a few surprises.
* Lisa Thiel and David MacVittie will perform fairy music for the assembled humans and fairies. Lisa's music and songs have been inspiring many of us for the past two decades.
* Storyteller, Maire Walsh, will tell us some fairy stories.
FAIRY PARADE
Our spectacular Fairy Parade will be held after dinner on Saturday. The first part of the program will include an opening ceremony for the Fairy Crossroads we will have just built. The evening will also include a premier performance by MythMaker, a fairy theatrical troupe from British Columbia. The late evening always include a drumming/dance circle as well as many ad hoc activities.
COSTUMING
Human participants mostly wear ordinary comfortable clothing. But before the parade, most people don some special outfit for the parade. It has become a truly colorful and fabulous parade; and even more incredible for those who have the 'fairy sight'. Sheri Trnka will again be bringing some of her giant flowers for this year's parade. Sheri will also set up and help coordinate a costuming center for people who wish to create a costume on the spot. You are invited to bring costuming materials to share with others. If anyone feels a special call to work on costuming they can contact Sheri at strnka@juno.com
VENDING
We usually have ten or so vendors selling wings, books, flower essences, flags, herbs, oils, singing bowls, art, crystals, and other fairy related items. We charge 10% of gross sales, plus vendors pay admission. If you are interested in vending please contact Kelly Kelsey about guidelines and fees (360) 671-7874.
WEATHER
It is hard to make long-range weather predictions for Skalitude Center's mountain valley. Typically in late June it is hot during the day and cool at night. Typically it doesn't rain, or at least not for long. But cool and rainy weather is also possible. We advise coming ready for hot daytime temperatures and cool to cold nights. Best to keep an eye on weather predictions for Twisp just before the Congress and bring appropriate clothing.
MAY 6 WEATHER REPORT
from Skalitude Retreat Center.
The little stream was bubbling merrily along this year, stopping to spin around and around in the little pool at Skalitude before wending its way on to Libby Creek and the Methow River, to the Columbia River (Nch'i-Wåna) and finally to the Pacific Ocean. This is an ephemeral stream and dries up in the summer each year. In fact, it has not run at all for the past several years, which were drier then normal. We are grateful that this winter was one of our wettest winters in recent years, so the stream is back for awhile. It will hopefully last until the Fairy & Human Relations Congress so that we have a natural pool to dip into. If not, we will have our misters and showers for cooling water.
The deeper snowpack, 3-4 feet deep, at Skalitude this winter combined with a cool spring means that the snow did not melt off until in April this year. As a result, spring greenup had just begun in earnest on May 6th. This later and wetter year means that the wildflower bloom during the 2006 Congress will be even more spectacular then in previous years. So take the time to talk to the wildflowers and the trees while you are here. Michael Pilarski will lead a plant walk Sunday afternoon after the closing ceremony for those of you who wish to know the wildflowers' Latin names and uses.
MUSIC AND DANCING
Bring musical instruments, drums, your voices and songs to share. Music, singing and dancing happen at many planned and spontaneous times during the Congress. We will do some Dances of Universal Peace.
CHILDREN'S AREA
We have always set up a structure for the children and supplied it with toys and craft materials. Parents and volunteers spend time with the children and there are activities and workshops for various age groups. There has always been one or more coordinators for the children's area. We have one coordinator as of May 18 and would like to find one or two more. Volunteers are always helpful. Parents or people interested in helping contact Carly Loveling 541-556-6263
VOLUNTEERS:
We are requesting that everyone come prepared to help. The Congress is a cooperative community and almost everyone helps in some way in the kitchen, with clean-up or with one of the many other village tasks. Most of the food prep and cleanup is done by volunteers. We pay very few staff. If everyone volunteers for two hours during the event it really spreads out the work load. Click here for more information on volunteer areas and job descriptions.
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