The Fifth Queer Spirit Festival

"We came together, we shared space, we danced, laughed, cried, we witnessed and held each other in so many loving ways. We listened to each other’s stories; we sang our truths around the fire. A festival made of pure co-creation, held with gratitude and joy, this is Queer Spirit."
Triskelion

The 5^th Queer Spirit Festival manifested at Bridwell Park, 15-19 August 2024: Love flowed - Joy reigned - Healing happened. 750 Queers of all genders, colours and sexualities gathered for the second time at Bridwell alongside the ancient oaks, the springs and the herd of free roaming deer.

We welcomed the spirits of the Land, the Ancestors, the Fae to join our celebration as we connected ourselves to the elements and to the divinity in each other. To the land we offered our prayers, our playfulness, our joy, and in return, harmony and grace were ours.

Queer Spirit is produced by a team of activists in service to the Queer community and to Spirit. We are grateful to all the volunteers and attendees for coming along to co-create such a magical ride!

Our goal is to create a showcase of queer creativity, a liberating zone of heart-healing and homecoming, and to proclaim and reclaim the sacred connection between LGBTQ+ people and the Earth. In pre-Christian cultures the world over, gender-fluid and same-sex loving people held spiritual roles in their communities: at Queer Spirit we honoured this history with rituals and workshops presented by magical practitioners from European, Indian and Native American traditions – and we explored what this inheritance might mean for us today.

From the 2024 Testimonials:

“Absolutely incredible festival and definitely one of the most mind-broadening experiences that I’ve had in a long time.” 

“An inclusive and accepting festival. A safe and friendly place to BE yourself. Come with friends or come alone and make new friends. Excellent facilitators with almost too many workshops to choose from.” 

“Oh where do I begin! I'm still blissed out on the lovely atmosphere. The kindness, the freedom, the acceptance! I've never felt so relaxed and happy.” 

"In the spirit of Openness at Queer Spirit we give each other the space to be the fullness of who we are, to express as we wish to express, to love openly and confidently. We celebrate each person's unique, glorious, manifestation of the divine miracle of life – we celebrate that life is sacred, the Earth is sacred, people are sacred – all people. Life itself is holiness in action, and through learning from the wisdom traditions of the world, by reattuning ourselves to nature's cycles, by collectively celebrating the unity-through-diversity of life, we bring ourselves home, heal from the belief in separation that causes all the harm in the world, and we evolve.

“A very inclusive, fun, respectful queer space. Offers the opportunity to be in queer community unlike any other space that is offered.”

“So much more than just a safe queer space ..... a model for how a world of compassionate co-existence could be.” 

“I loved this festival, I left blissed out with new friends and a big open heart.” 

“I have never felt as much love and acceptance as at Queer Spirit Festival!” 

“The festival was like coming home, being around like-minded people dancing, singing and experiencing love. Never have I felt so at peace at festival, everyone was there for a sense of community and it was a joy to meet so many incredible humans.” 

“The festival was so well put together and the work that went in was evident, I'm so happy to have been there and experienced such a safe and inclusive festival. Really can't wait to be back at QS because I can't wait to feel at home again.” 

Of course the spiritual path is not only about celebration! The work of home-coming takes us through all the places in our soul, light and dark – we gather at Queer Spirit for 4 nights of celebration, but the radiant light generated will have illuminated the shadow for some, even while on site. Some will have entered a shadow journey post-festival: because all that love and community liberation will push us to face and heal our own past wounds, to overcome and fears and address how our beliefs create our relationship with the world around us. After the free and high spirit of the festival we may be knocked sideways by the blandness of the 3D consensus of belief going on in society, the limits on people's vision, the darkness so at large in the world – but this experience is all part of the path of the Queer Spirit Warrior. We are the inheritors of shamanic traditions from all parts of the world. We are here to turn shadow into light, suffering into love, grief into joy. Our ancestors are calling us to rise and rediscover our ancient powers, to know ourselves again, to serve the world again – as healers, witches, priestxes, artists, as walkers between the worlds, born of earth and born to love – and born to give birth to a multidimensional future.

“This inclusive, liberating and loving festival is the perfect space to explore, express and celebrate yourself. It is a joyous and powerful shared experience.”

“This unique gathering is the most inclusive, diverse, inspiring alternate universe your queer heart could ever dream of. Sweet, mischievous people; life altering workshops; delicious food; divine dancing; a free sauna; superb cabaret and bands - what the world would look like if queer people ran it!”

“Queer community and magic at its finest!”

“Queer Spirit is a truly magical place that allows people to be seen and validated for who they truly are and want to be. A place of transformation for those who are seeking it.”

From small towns and suburbs, from cities and farms, alone and with others, we are coming together again. From shame and with pride, in love and with sorrow, from fear and with hope, we are coming together again as a tribe, as a people. And in this time we enter the fifth era of our history. Our history is long, however forgotten it has been. Our history is rich, however outcast we have been. Our history is glorious, and we are coming to reclaim it. Our history is nurturing. To know it roots us in the world...
We are owning our powers as scouts, flute players, shamans and hunters, and we are sharing them with others in our tribe. We are remembering that we are midwives for the dying, guardians of the trees, that we are beauty makers and scouts in consciousness. As we come from all other peoples, born from their bodies and yet ourselves a people, we are peacemakers, we are ambassadors from the future, who model for the rest of the world to see how human beings can live together in harmony and joy...
We are the Walks-Between People, between matter and spirit, female and male, night and day, wisdom and innocence, joy and sorrow. What we walk between we contain. What we contain is who we are, and who we are is all and everything.
From Two Flutes Playing, by Andrew Ramer

 

“Imagine a place where you can be completely who you are, authentically, unapologetically and freely, where you can explore your relationship with yourself, nature and others sharing their space with you. A place where those who chose to be are consistently kind and patient with themselves and those around them. This place exists in Queer Spirit Festival, so you don't have to imagine, you just have to bring your whole beautiful self and enjoy everything the festival has to offer.” 

“As a first timer, I was blown away by Queer Spirit. I've never been to an event quite like it and it has been life changing as I now carry with me the joy and open heartedness generated there. Such acceptance and non-judgement allowing us to feel free to express ourselves in all our queer glory - amazing!” 

“This is a beautiful festival. People are gentle, kind and respectful. At the same time there is beautiful sexiness in the air that doesn't stress you out.” 

“ALL OUR QUEER CREATIVITY CELEBRATED TOGETHER.... UNIQUE ONE OFF UPRISING!”