Beltane: Seek the Light, Be the Light
Deep in the dark soil of last year’s decay, a seed awakens. A thread of light slips down through the earth, calling what is unmanifested to rise and take form. Tender green shoots emerge, soft and new, still vulnerable to storm and frost. Yet they appear again and again in the most impossible places. They grow in thin soil between cracks of concrete, in the margins, in forgotten edges. Supple and persistent, they Seek the Light. They grow. They push. In time, they split what seemed unbreakable, proof that what is alive cannot be contained by what is dead.
Together at this Beltane, we align with that force of Nature. We honor the power of Life to continue, to deepen its roots, to rise through hardship, and to reach for warmth and light. We gather to Seek the Light and to Be the Light for ourselves, for each other, and for the world we are still growing into.
Sometimes the light we need is not something we find alone. It is something we recognize in each other, in a face across the circle, in a hand offered without explanation, in laughter that loosens the chest, in the warmth of bodies near the fire. We seek the light in one another, and we become it for someone else.
Desire, at its deepest and most sacred, is life reaching for life, reaching for light.
When: Thursday, April 30 - Sunday, May 3 (+ Work Party 4/28-4/30)
Where: Shimmerback Ranch, located 15 minutes north of Willits CA
What is Beltane?
Beltane follows the sun’s turning wheel and marks the bright stretch between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, when the world is at its greenest and most alive. The earth is blooming and buzzing, and life is flirting, pollinating, mating, and bursting forth in a thousand forms.
At Beltane, we dance the Maypole, an old tradition reinvented again and again, and we make it our own as a celebration of life-force, sexuality, and community. We weave ribbons and kindle the fire within our bodies and hearts.
May 1 is also International Workers’ Day, a reminder that when we come together, we change reality. This gathering is how we strengthen for the world, recharge with laughter, remember our tools in dark times, and practice being Light for one another so our joy endures and our love becomes a force.
The Ways We Will Gather And Grow
At this gathering we will:
Dance the Maypole: Experience the communal weaving of the Maypole, a physical and symbolic weaving of our passion for a loving life.
Gather In Heart Circle: we come together in shared presence, opening our hearts to connection, reflection, and the wisdom of the moment.
Belt-ain’t Got Talent Show: Share your creativity with your friends! No actual talent required.
Persephone’s Lair: Join us as we process Persephone from her long slumber in the cave of the Underworld and welcome her back to her Lair in the Barn. The Lair is a space of decadence and desire, with a quieter Temple inside for those who want to rest, relax, unwind, and ground into something sacred.
Soak in the Spa: Bathe in the healing, magical waters and treat yourself to a massage or foot rub from one of the faeries.
Faerie Spa: Thursday, Faerie Spa, facials, and massages and sangria to unwind.
Massage Parlour for sensual and sexual touch.
Community Offerings: Share what inspires you and what fun you want to create with each other.
Beat the Drum and Sing: Songs are the heartbeat of our community. More drumming, more songs, more connection! Let's make music the medium of our shared experience.
DJ Music and Dancing around the Fire
Each of Us a Ray of Light
We invite you to step into sacred service. You are a gift to this community, not because you are perfect, but because you are uniquely you. When you show up in your realness and practice your gifts, you give others permission to do the same. You help the whole community arrive more fully and become more true.
This is a call to claim your gifts and join a circle of co-creators. We do not build this gathering alone. We build it together through what each of us offers.
Circleholders: Help craft the mythic and ritual bones of the gathering. You will anchor the Welcome Circle, guide the sacred geometry of the Maypole, and help hold the Heart Circle. You are keepers of intention and atmosphere, weaving the energetic web that gathers us, steadies us, and makes the magic real.
The Feastmakers: Work with the kitchen team to conjure mouth-watering delights that nourish the body and seduce the senses. You feed the fire in our bellies and the warmth in our hearts.
Firestarters: Build the fires, Bring the night to life with music. Help host Beltane’s Got Talent. You curate the rhythm, hold the vibe, and keep the celebration moving.
The Temple Whores: Help create spaces of sacred desire and embodied delight. Co-create the Massage Circles and intimate containers, keeping them sexy, consent-centered, and simmering with possibility so people can return to their erotic selves with safety, clarity, and play.
DJ Stefan Ways will be spinning at the bonfire Saturday night after the Maypole. A regular in SF, Portland and Denver, Stefan’s sure to get us hot and sweaty.
We are a gathering of a beautiful constellation of queer energies. We are people across the spectrum of gender, sexuality, and experiences (LGBTQIA2S+ beloved friends and chosen family.) This space is for us, to shine in our fullness together. To celebrate our queerness openly, and to express ourselves freely in every corner of the gathering.
Gatherings are a balancing act of fun and frivolity with spirituality and intention. If you’ve never been to Shimmerback before—and even more especially if you HAVE—please read these important principles and guidelines:
1. Intention
Why are you coming to Beltane? What is calling you and what do you hope to learn or receive? How will you be present with and mindful of others at the gathering? Who do you hope to connect with? Setting a clear intention will ground your experience and help you get the most out of the gathering.
2. Participation
Gatherings are co-creations. There is no audience! Participation is not just expected, it’s essential. From dishwashing to fire tending, everything happens because YOU and people just like you make it happen. See a glass lying around? Pick it up! Hot tub’s cold? Light the fire! Have a talent? Show it off! (Yes lewks count.) Know something quirky? Lead a workshop! What will your offering be?
3. Ritual
Gatherings are sacred energetic containers that enable us to let down our walls and give us ultimate freedom to safely explore and connect with the truest versions of ourselves and each other. Ritual helps build and protect this container, and creates a structure and rhythm for the gathering. Ritual takes many forms, from opening and closing circles to drumming and dancing around the fire. Ritual is optional but highly encouraged. It may sound scary but it’s usually pretty fun! (And most faeries approach ritual with healthy irreverence.) If you’d like to help with ritual planning, reach out to Ritual Qween Araila.
4. Consent & Boundaries
Unfettered freedom is fabulous as long as we respect each other’s need for physical and energetic safety. This encompasses many things, including consent related to sex and intimacy, and consent to be around drugs and alcohol. Wherever you find yourself please read the room and use your words to communicate with others who may be impacted by your behavior.
5. Substances
We support substance exploration, provided it's done responsibly, based on knowledge and experience of what works best for you, and in a way that facilitates a positive connection to the community. In consideration of the many ways we hold ourselves in relation to alcohol and other substances, please honor these boundaries:
Happy Hour: Outside of Thursday Happy Hour, we request that open use of alcohol and other substances be kept to tents or the barn & parking lot.
Persephone’s Lair, aka the Party Barn, will be the go-to spot for imbibing and recreating. Downstairs there will be ice storage and room for coolers (due to space limitations personal alcohol will not be stored in the Carport/Kitchen). Upstairs will be a lavish love lounge catering to your every naughty impulse.
Prohibited substances: Please do not bring meth, cocaine or GHB. Because of the historical and current harm these substances have caused our community and due to our remote location and distance from emergency services we ask that you refrain from bringing these substances. We will have Narcan and Dance Safe testing supplies on hand.
6. Sound
We love a good dance party and recognize amplified music as an important ritual element. As such we welcome the use of amplified music brought with care and intention. After 1AM amplified music will be kept to the barn or yurt and at a volume that’s not disruptive in the camping areas. We also ask folks to be mindful of fellow campers when socializing after hours. There will be designated festive and quiet camping areas.
What are the facilities like?
Shimmerback Ranch is 150 acres of quintessential California woodlands along a gorgeous year-round creek. You’ll be spending most of your time outside under the canopy of trees and stars. Accommodations are camping only; limited indoor sleeping spaces available for special needs. We have a full kitchen, potable water, hot showers, and a flush toilet. There's a fantastic swimming hole, a wood-fired hot tub, and heated spaces for chilling and cuddling. Wifi is available and cell signal is decent depending on your provider. We're grid-connected and there are plugs to charge devices. Carpooling encouraged or use our ride board; AWD recommended but not required. No pets allowed during gatherings.
What to bring:
Camping gear (tent, sleeping bag/pad, bedding/pillow, headlamp)
Extra layers and rain gear
Toiletries & towel (for showers, hot tub and creek)
Sunscreen & bug spray
Water bottle
Snacks and drinks (cans are preferable to glass bottles)
Drums and musical instruments
Lewks/drag/wigs and extra drag for the drag closet
Most importantly, an open heart and mind <3
Cost:
This gathering is run by volunteers. The suggested contribution for the gathering is $200-250 per person, sliding scale, meals included. Your contributions go back into the community and allow us to step up the quality and reliability of food; buy necessary kitchen, decoration, and art supplies; and defray costs such as propane and porta potties. This range has been selected to cover costs associated with running the gathering while allowing for people to join regardless of economic status. If this gathering calls to your spirit we really want you to attend! As with all our events, please Give As You're Able But Always Give Something (GAYABAGS). Limited scholarships are available to make this event accessible for everyone; for more info please reach out.
Rideshare:
Parking is limited and carpooling is encouraged. There will be an opportunity to indicate if you are seeking or offering a ride in the registration form, or you can add this directly to our Ride Board.
Accessibility & Medical Support:
Roads are unpaved and terrain is uneven. Wheelchair travel is challenging but not impossible. Certain areas (like the swimming hole and barn attic) are not wheelchair accessible. Limited indoor sleeping spaces available for special needs. Electricity is available in the campsites for CPAP and other devices. Shimmerback has basic first aid supplies on-site. The nearest Emergency Room is located 15-20 minutes away in Willits.
Refund Policy:
Refunds available up to 7 days before the gathering.
Help needed! The gathering committee can always use more hands to manifest the gathering. Ritual queens, land fluffers, vibe tenders, we need you! If you feel called to help please email blimblam@shimmerbackranch.org
Work party! Come early, help prepare the land for Samhain, hang with friends and eat delicious free meals! Tues Apr 28 – Thu Apr 30. Please indicate on the registration form if you plan to come for the work party.