Free Spirit Gathering 2026 - 40th year

Have you ever wanted to learn how to make your own mead?  Here's your chance!  We’ll talk about flavors, balance, dry vs sweet, as well as ingredient sourcing.  Participants will learn the basics of meadmaking including safety and sterilization, materials, and ingredients as well as the history of mead.  Throughout the class, we'll create a batch of mead together!

Taking inspiration from Emily Carding’s Transparent Tarot Deck, we will be sketching first on paper and then drawing with permanent marker on acetate. Imagery will come from three separate card pulls from various oracle and tarot decks. Participants are encouraged to bring their favorite decks with them to class. Multiple oracle and tarot decks will also be on site for your use. Please come to class with a project or goal in mind. The drawings we create will act as talismans to propel your work into fruition. Sarah will lead how-to demonstrations on making the talismans and will encourage discourse around symbolism and interpretation. All art materials will be supplied. No experience with art or with tarot is necessary and all levels of experience are welcome.

We are in a renaissance in the world of divination decks. Whether home-made or high-production, classical or reinterpreted, tarot and oracle decks can be used as divination and inspiration alike. How do you choose which is right for you? In this workshop we will explore these questions together while getting our hands literally on dozens of decks. From symbolism and art style to card size and quality, it's important for you to connect with the cards emotionally and energetically. Attendees will leave with inspirations and specific techniques to try with their first, current, potential, or future decks. Bring a deck or two of your own if you want to play along (though borrow decks are available) or bring decks folks might want to check out!

Join bone-casters Erika Wren and Tava Baird for this informal meet-up to share bone-casting knowledge and techniques. Bring your bone kit to cast and chat with us, or come along and participate in sharing sample readings with the group. Want to cast but don't know how? Tava has an assortment of mats and trinkets for you to borrow to learn! No two bone-0casters cast exactly alike, so you're sure to pick up some new knowledge, no matter your experience level!