In collaboration with the ever-mingling Water and Earth gods, the Cleveland-based Association for Consciousness Exploration pulled off the 23rd Starwood Festival in grand style and spirit. 2000+ people gathered at the Brushwood Folklore Center in Sherman, New York - about 2 hours from Cleveland - to share their souls, the air, their creative expression, their passion, and lots more. This was definitely the place to be free, to get in touch with your Inner aaa-AAWWWW, and to be transformed by the synergistic fires of brilliant teachers, powerful drums, ritual, and some of the most elegant camping since camping began.

Starwood entails over 150 workshops on everything from Hebrew Paganism, to African drum making, to Qi Kung and Yoga practice, to plant wisdom and more. Professors, Shamans, Artisans, Storytellers, Pundits and Polyamorists from all over the world shared their experiences in these workshops all day long. To catch a lecture by humorist Paul Krasner, a tabla lesson from master Badal Roy, a drum workshop from Rusted Root's Jim Donovan, a vibrational healing from Madonna Moonhawk, or an inspired rant by Reverand Ivan Stang of the Church of the Subgenious, is to receive a tremendous gift.

Concerts featuring several musical genres graced the stage every night, from Celtic-African-Middle Eastern-Jazz-Electronic-Folk-Metal-Funk to acoustic mellowness for when you need to finally sit down. Bonfires burn through the night surrounded by drummers, dancers and songsters, creating a rhythm that remains in your head for at least a week after leaving the festival. One of the African guys from the band Baka Beyond, seeing this scene for the first time in America, remarked that he had never seen white people dance like that, and that it seemed we were dancing more like Africans than Africans do now. I still can't get the sun god chant out of my head. Catchy tune. You've got to see Saturday night's processional and bonfire ceremony to believe it.

Starwood invites all people. Some go just to party and observe. Others teach, or practice their healing or creative art. There are tons of kids - some adult festival goers have been attending since they were toddlers - and they are well taken-care of, with a kid's village and a kid's parade featuring outstanding masks and costumes of their own creation. The extravagance (or sparseness!) of outfits builds each night, and I tell you - women love a man in a sarong. And you actually get used to seeing an old naked man riding by on a bicycle.

The campsites were equally fascinating: from quiet small tents to giant tarped villages, to tipis, yurts, campers, and converted school buses. People decorated their sites with colorful tapestries, myriad candles lighting the paths and hung from trees, bring out the crystal and china, or the absolutely unexpected whimsical and enchanting. You could camp in the main field, in Babylon Heights, the Faerie Woods, The Dark Moore, Druid Heights, or by the Pufferdome.

There were merchants selling everything from clothing, pottery, mead, gemstones, magical herbs, drums, rugs, swords, and other crafts. Henna and tattoo artists, body piercers, and body painting seemed to do a brisk business. You could also take advantage of the many massage therapists, reiki practitioners and shamanic healers that lined Healer's Row. Food stands were available if you didn't feel like cooking over your own fire (Phil's Grill can definitely cook it up!!). There was a full service bar, a coffee stand, a smoothie stand, a hardware store, and a first aid center. You could also swim in the covered pool, take a dip in the hot tub, take a hot shower, or just relax back at your campsite. It is said that some people actually slept at some point during the festival.

This being my sixth Starwood experience, this stuff appears normal to me now. But what I liked this year was the increase in diversity among musical acts, workshops, and attendees. It seemed there were more people of color this year and more Latinos. There is always diversity of age and worldview, although I'm not sure many social conservatives were there. Still, there was representation from old traditions and new movements, from indigenous, pagan and/or organized religion, to Discordianism, Zen, Voo Doo, Druid, Inipi, Rasta, CAW, etc.

Anyone interested in attending the Starwood Festival in the future should plan ahead. Usually held the third week in July, and at the same location for ages, more information about Starwood can be found by visiting the ACE website at www.rosencomet.com, and clicking on the Starwood link.

from Cool Cleveland reader Grant H. Marquit (:divend:)