Seasonal Calendar and Special Events

January 15th, 2012 — Tastes from the Temple Book Signing

Come to Muse in Marlborough and pick up your copy of Tastes From the Temple! This long awaited new cookbook is filled with simple recipes to help you create meal time magick in your own kitchen!
Dawn will be signing books from 12-4pm!
Muse Gifts and Books 157 Main Street Marlborough NH

February 2nd, 2012 — Brigid or Imbolc (Oimelc)

As the days' lengthening becomes perceptible, many candles are lit to hasten the warming of the earth and emphasize the reviving of life. "Imbolc" is from Old Irish, and may mean "in the belly", and Oimelc, "ewe's milk", as this is the lambing time. It is the holiday of the Celtic Fire Goddess Brigid, whose threefold nature rules smithcraft, poetry/inspiration, and healing. Brigid's fire is a symbolic transformation offering healing, visions, and tempering. Februum is a Latin word meaning purification -- naming the month of cleansing. The thaw releases waters (Brigid is also a goddess of holy wells) -- all that was hindered is let flow at this season.

February 4th, 2012 — Recipes for Romance - The Robin's Nest Bellingham MA

Join renowned Kitchen Witch and author of Tastes from the Temple and the Cucina Aurora Cookbook, Dawn Hunt, as she reveals how to add zest to your love life in this very special workshop – just in time for Valentine's Day! An old adage suggests that the way to a partner's heart is through their ...stomach, and when you welcome Aphrodite and Eros into your kitchen, you'll imbue your meals with love and intent. Learn what foods will attract a lover, spice up a marriage, and enhance your own sensual powers. Set the dinner table as a stage for romance with foods that charge the libido and spices that fire passion. Includes a demonstration of food preparation and meal. $45 all inclusive admission. Workshop is reserved for participants 18 yrs. and older. Seating is limited. Reserve your seats now at The Robin's Nest 799 S. Main Street #9 Bellingham MA 02019
508-244-4881
http://therobinsnestma.com

February 17th, 2012 — Wicked Winter Renn Faire - Sommerset NJ

Come one Come all to a weekend of Pleasures, Delights, Merryment and just a pinch of Naughty! Renn Faire meets Steampunk meets Wickedness!!! Everything from tasty treats with Cucina Aurora to Leather and Lace. Take over the Double Tree in Sommerset NJ with us for 3 day and see where the Rabbit Hole REALLY goes!
For more information and directions visit:
http://www.wickedfaire.com/

March 4th, 2012 — Recipes for Romance - Zuzu\'s Healing Arts Melrose MA

Join renowned Kitchen Witch and author of Tastes from the Temple and the Cucina Aurora Cookbook, Dawn Hunt, as she reveals how to add zest to your love life in this very special workshop – just in time for Valentine's Day! An old adage suggests that the way to a partner's heart is through their ...stomach, and when you welcome Aphrodite and Eros into your kitchen, you'll imbue your meals with love and intent. Learn what foods will attract a lover, spice up a marriage, and enhance your own sensual powers. Set the dinner table as a stage for romance with foods that charge the libido and spices that fire passion. Includes a demonstration of food preparation and meal. $50 all inclusive admission from 1-4pm. Workshop is reserved for participants 18 yrs. and older. Seating is limited. Reserve your seats now at Zuzu's Healing Arts Melrose MA 781-665-8844 http://www.zuzusbeads.com/event1.jsp

March 18th, 2012 — Stiring the Pot, an intorduction to Kitchen Witchery -Ostara Bethlehem PA

More info to come on this Class in PA. Keep checking in for Updates on this and other classes.
http://www.awitchscauldron.com/index.html

March 20th, 2012 — Ostara

Day and night are equal as Spring begins to enliven the environment with new growth and more newborn animals. Many people feel \"reborn\" after the long nights and coldness of winter. The Germanic Goddess Ostara or Eostre (Goddess of the Dawn), after whom Easter is named, is the tutelary deity of this holiday. It is she, as herald of the sun, who announces the triumphal return of life to the earth. Witches in the Greek tradition celebrate the return from Hades of Demeter\'s daughter Persephone; Witches in the Celtic tradition see in the blossoms the passing of Olwen, in whose footprints flowers bloom. The enigmatic egg, laid by the regenerating snake or the heavenly bird, is a powerful symbol of the emergence of life out of apparent death or absence of life.

March 31st, 2012 — Magickal Market Place - Salem NH

Readers, Vendors and Entertainment to ring in the Spring!!! Join us and other Magickal folks for a day of entertainment, workshops, tasty treats and readings from some of the areas most popular readers and vendors.

Food provided by Cucina Aurora Kitchen Witchery!!!
Noon to 7pm Salem NH
$2 admission!!!http://www.wix.com/mikethebard/magickalmarketplace#!

April 13th, 2012 — Macabre Fairie - LONG ISLAND NY April 13-15

A brand new One of A Kind event in Cucina Aurora's home of Long Island NY! A weekend to celebrate all things dark, magickal, spooky and gothic!
http://www.livingdeadmafia.com/component/content/article/15-latest/263-macabre-faire.html

May 1st, 2012 — Beltaine

As the weather heats up and the plant world burgeons, an exuberant mood prevails. Folk dance around the Maypole, emblem of fertility (the name \"May\" comes from a Norse word meaning \"to shoot out new growth\"). May 1st was the midpoint of a five-day Roman festival to Flora, Goddess of Flowers. The name \"Beltaine\" means \"Bel\'s Fires\"; in Celtic lands, cattle were driven between bonfires to bless them, and people leaped the fires for luck. The association in Germany of May Eve with Witches\' gatherings is a memory of pre-Christian tradition. \"Wild\" water (dew, flowing streams or ocean water) is collected as a basis for healing drinks and potions for the year to come.

June 21st, 2012 — Litha or Midsummer

On this day, the noon of the year and the longest day, light and life are abundant. We focus outward, experiencing the joys of plenty, tasting the first fruits of the season. In some traditions the sacred marriage of the Goddess and God is celebrated (in others, this is attributed to the springtime holidays). Rhea, the Mountain Mother of Crete, has breathed out all creation. It is also the festival of the Chinese Goddess of Light, Li.

June 23rd, 2012 — Templefest

June 23 and 24
We are so honored to be asked to participate in this event. The second year and now Templefest has grown to a weekend long event! Saturday June 18-Sunday th 19th. Vendors, Workshops and Merriment abound!! For more information contact us or the Temple of Witchcraft at:
www.templeofwitchcraft.org

June 23rd, 2012 — Midsummer Fantasy Renn Faire

Midsummer Magick Renaissance Faire
Fairies and Magick and Adventure!
at Warsaw Park Ansonia, CT
This promises to be a fantastic, fun filled, fantasy faire! Come down to Oxford for one or all of the weekends of this event and enjoy Music, Bardic tales, Family fun and a tasty nibble at Cucina Aurora's booth!
June 23,24,30 July 1,7,8
For more info contact us or visit:
http://www.mfrenfaire.com/

August 1st, 2012 — Lughnasadh or Lammas

This festival has two aspects. First, it is one of the Celtic fire festivals, honoring the Celtic culture-bringer and Solar God Lugh (Lleu to the Welsh, Lugus to the Gauls). In Ireland, races and games were held in his name and that of his mother, Tailtiu (these may have been funeral games). The second aspect is Lammas, the Saxon Feast of Bread, at which the first of the grain harvest is consumed in riutal loaves. These aspects are not too dissimilar, as the shamanic death and transformation of Lleu can be compared to that of the Barley God, known from the folksong \"John Barleycorn\". This time is also sacred to the Greek Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt, Artemis.

September 22nd, 2012 — Mabon or Harvest Home

This day sees light and dark in balance again, before the descent to the dark times. A harvest festival is held, thanking the Goddess for giving us enough sustenance to feed us through the winter. Harvest festivals of many types still occur today in farming country, and Thanksgiving is an echo of these.
In this way the Wheel turns, bringing us back to Samhain where we began our cycle. Many of the festival days coincide with holidays of the Jewish and Christian calendars. This is no accident; these points in the year were important community celebrations, and were kept largely intact although they were rededicated to the Christian God or a saint. The names may have changed, but the old Pagan practices still show through. Click here to know more about Mabon.

October 31st, 2012 — Samhain

The night lengthens and we work with the positive aspects of darkness in the increasing star- and moonlight. Many Craft traditions, following the ancient Celts, consider this the eve of the New Year (as day begins with sundown, so the year begins with the first day of Winter). It is one night when the barriers between the worlds of life and death are uncertain, allowing the ancestors to walk among the living, welcomed and feasted by their kin, bestowing the Otherworld\'s blessings. We may focus within ourselves to look \"through the glass darkly\", developing our divination and psychic skills.

December 21st, 2012 — Yule

The sun is at its nadir, the year\'s longest night. We internalize and synthesize the outward-directed activities of the previous summer months. Some covens hold a Festival of Light to commemorate the Goddess as Mother giving birth to the Sun God. Others celebrate the victory of the Lord of Light over the Lord of Darkness as the turning point from which the days will lengthen. The name \"Yule\" derives from the Norse word for \"wheel\", and many of our customs (like those of the Christian holiday) derive from Norse and Celtic Pagan practices (the Yule log, the tree, the custom of Wassailing, et al).