AV Pagan Pride Day Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
PALMDALE: The Sixth Annual Antelope Valley Pagan Pride Day on September 22, 2007 at Poncitlan Square in Palmdale will feature ceremonies by Modern Druids, Pagans, Asatru, and Wiccans as well as free workshops about Pagan religions, Children’s activities, and Musical entertainment. The event will begin at 10am with a ritual at 10:30am by Hrafn Skjoldr Kindred, a Troth member kindred practicing an Asatru blot, and conclude with a Children’s ceremony at 5pm. Participants also include, Dragon’s Weyr Circle, a Covenant of the Goddess Member Coven, Awen’s Breath Grove, an ADF Druidic group, and various other covens and groups from the Antelope and Victor Valley and beyond. In lieu of admission, attendees are asked to bring a non-perishable food donation for the Sunrise HIV/AIDs Food Bank.
In past years, AV Pagan Pride Day has collected up to 590 lbs of food. AV Pagan Pride Day is a part of the International Pagan Pride Project, which collectively raised $5,174 for charities in 2006, collected 20,754 lbs of food for food pantries, and had attendance of 31,200 people at various events across the US and internationally.
This year’s event will feature folk-metal band Hauk: A Los Angeles based musician, Hauk draws on musical influences as diverse as Irish folk music, heavy metal, tribal percussion, classical, and punk, yet they fuse together seamlessly. Hauk’s latest album, “Hard Lemonade”, has a tune called “Drinking Song” which was written about the soldiers who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. “I read articles in the paper about people protesting at military funerals, and this makes my blood boil. That someone would spit upon the sacrifice that our brave men and women in uniform make is an unforgivable crime in my opinion. My song basically says remember where your freedom comes from, the sacrifice of our troops so that we can live free. It all comes back to telling a story from a purely emotional viewpoint.” http://haukmusic.com
Also performing is Producer, Artist, Singer and Songwriter Deity Avera Vreeland, who performs Dance, Electronic Techno as well as New Age Pop. Avera has created a CD of Wiccan chants “We all Come from the Goddess”. A portion of the proceeds for it will go to Sunrise HIV/AIDs Foundation. http://averavreeland.com
Local Coordinator Lisa Morgenstern, an Elder Wiccan Priestess, states, “This is an excellent event for education. Our reason for putting it on is to educate the AV community and celebrate our diversity. We have worship circles as well as educational workshops going all day, along with merchants vending wares, a drumming circle and tarot readings for charity throughout the day. As a metaphysical vendor, I encounter prejudice and ignorance often at local events about my religion. Our reason for doing this is not to proselytize but to celebrate and educate who we are. We are proud Americans, exercising our freedom to worship how we choose, and helping a worthy charity while we do so. Sunrise HIV/AIDs Foundation does some really important work helping feed families of those affected by AIDs and HIV. I’m glad to be able to help them. I would like to encourage those who are curious about what we do, to come and attend and learn with a mind open to diversity. Our event is not just for pagans but everyone.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT http://paganpride.avpagans.org Or contact Lisa at 661-722-3887 or paganpride@avpagans.org
_______________________________________________________________________
PALMDALE: The Sixth Annual Antelope Valley Pagan Pride Day on September 22, 2007 at Poncitlan Square in Palmdale will feature ceremonies by Modern Druids, Pagans, Asatru, and Wiccans as well as free workshops about Pagan religions, Children’s activities, and Musical entertainment. The event will begin at 10am with a ritual at 10:30am by Hrafn Skjoldr Kindred, a Troth member kindred practicing an Asatru blot, and conclude with a Children’s ceremony at 5pm. Participants also include, Dragon’s Weyr Circle, a Covenant of the Goddess Member Coven, Awen’s Breath Grove, an ADF Druidic group, and various other covens and groups from the Antelope and Victor Valley and beyond. In lieu of admission, attendees are asked to bring a non-perishable food donation for the Sunrise HIV/AIDs Food Bank.
In past years, AV Pagan Pride Day has collected up to 590 lbs of food. AV Pagan Pride Day is a part of the International Pagan Pride Project, which collectively raised $5,174 for charities in 2006, collected 20,754 lbs of food for food pantries, and had attendance of 31,200 people at various events across the US and internationally.
This year’s event will feature folk-metal band Hauk: A Los Angeles based musician, Hauk draws on musical influences as diverse as Irish folk music, heavy metal, tribal percussion, classical, and punk, yet they fuse together seamlessly. Hauk’s latest album, “Hard Lemonade”, has a tune called “Drinking Song” which was written about the soldiers who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. “I read articles in the paper about people protesting at military funerals, and this makes my blood boil. That someone would spit upon the sacrifice that our brave men and women in uniform make is an unforgivable crime in my opinion. My song basically says remember where your freedom comes from, the sacrifice of our troops so that we can live free. It all comes back to telling a story from a purely emotional viewpoint.” http://haukmusic.com
Also performing is Producer, Artist, Singer and Songwriter Deity Avera Vreeland, who performs Dance, Electronic Techno as well as New Age Pop. Avera has created a CD of Wiccan chants “We all Come from the Goddess”. A portion of the proceeds for it will go to Sunrise HIV/AIDs Foundation. http://averavreeland.com
Local Coordinator Lisa Morgenstern, an Elder Wiccan Priestess, states, “This is an excellent event for education. Our reason for putting it on is to educate the AV community and celebrate our diversity. We have worship circles as well as educational workshops going all day, along with merchants vending wares, a drumming circle and tarot readings for charity throughout the day. As a metaphysical vendor, I encounter prejudice and ignorance often at local events about my religion. Our reason for doing this is not to proselytize but to celebrate and educate who we are. We are proud Americans, exercising our freedom to worship how we choose, and helping a worthy charity while we do so. Sunrise HIV/AIDs Foundation does some really important work helping feed families of those affected by AIDs and HIV. I’m glad to be able to help them. I would like to encourage those who are curious about what we do, to come and attend and learn with a mind open to diversity. Our event is not just for pagans but everyone.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT http://paganpride.avpagans.org Or contact Lisa at 661-722-3887 or paganpride@avpagans.org
_______________________________________________________________________