Wednesday 19 December 2018

Pagan Events for Winter Solstice, Yule & the New Year


Here are some of the events in London plus a few in other parts of southern England over the Winter Solstice, Yule and New Year's Eve that could be of interest to pagans. However, you celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful Yuletide.

Now - 9 January 2019; Spellbound: Magic, Ritual and Witchcraft exhibition in Oxford. Venue: Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont St, Oxford OX1 2PH. Tickets: £6/£11.25/£12.25. https://www.ashmolean.org/  You can also view the exhibition catalogue, Spellbound, on Amazon.

Now - 12 January 2019; Divine Proportions. Dinner cabaret from Shotgun Carousel, based on the story of Dionysus, God of Pleasure and Mischief. Venue: The Vaults, Arch 234-236, Leake Street, London, SE1 7NN. Tuesday - Sunday, doors open 6.30pm. Tickets: Previews: £30, general admission: £35/£55. https://www.thevaults.london/divine-proportions

Now – Tuesday 19 February 2019; Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms: Art, Word, War. Exhibition at the British Library. Venue: PACCAR Gallery, The British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB. Full price tickets £16. https://www.bl.uk/events/anglo-saxon-kingdoms

Now - 24 February 2019. I am Ashurbanipal, King of the World, King of Assyria. Exhibition at the British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. For more details visit: http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/events_calendar.aspx

Now to Sun 17 Mar 2019; Cats on the Page - free exhibition that includes a section on witches' cats. Venue: The British Library, 96 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB. https://www.bl.uk/events/cats-on-the-page

Wednesday 19 December; Time to Meditate - group meditation (every Wednesday). Venue: Buddha on a Bicycle, Covent Garden, London. Arrive 6pm for 6.10pm start. Donations of £3 recommended. Details: http://www.meetup.com/meditation-trust-london/

Wednesday 19 December; Winter Solstice Open Circle at More Mead Moot with Pagan FutureFests. Venue: Hope Pub, 48 West Street, Carshalton SM5 2PR. Time: from 7.30pm. Meets on the third Wednesday of each month.  http://www.meetup.com/Londonpagancommunity/  details: https://www.facebook.com/events/338567983409018/

Thursday 20 December; Morning tour: an introduction to ancient Egypt. Venue: Room 4, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Time: 8.50am. Tickets £30. For more details visit: http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/events_calendar.aspx

Thursday 20 December; PFL Winter Solstice Open Ritual with London Reclaiming. Venue: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. Time: 7.30pm. Entry: £6/£5 (PF members and concessions). https://pflondon.info/

Friday 21 - Saturday 22 December; Winter Solstice at the Henge Shop, High Street, Avebury, Wiltshire, SN8 1RF. Two days of talks and other events. Details: https://www.facebook.com/TheHengeShop/

Friday 21 December; Winter Solstice Festival: Wheel of the Year Meditation and Singing. Venue: Chalice Well World Peace Garden, in Glastonbury. Gather at the well head for midday meditation until 12.30pm, followed by conversation on the lower lawn, then Winter Solstice singing at 2pm. Free admission to the gardens from 10am to noon. For more details, visit the website http://www.chalicewell.org.uk/

Friday 21 December; Solstice animal charity fundraising event.  Second Chance Animal Rescue will be at Wicca Moon with furry, feathered and scaly friends. Enjoy mulled wine and mince pies while fundraising for a good cause.  Venue: Wicca Moon, 50 Well Hall Road, London SE9 6SH. Time: 2pm. For further details contact Shirlee@wiccamoon.org.uk, call 0208 850 7803 or 07985506869. https://www.facebook.com/events/739979066367321/

Friday 21 December; Winter Solstice Ritual at the historic Camlet Moat in Trent Park near London. Celebrate the birth of the New Sun with the Cassi Grove - a small group of druids. Meet at the Ferny Hill Road entrance, EN4 0QA. Time: 2pm. For further info and details contact Anne on

Friday 21 December; Andrew O'Neill's Black Magick Fun Hour. Venue The Underworld Camden, 174 Camden High Street, London NW1. Time: 7pm - 10pm. Tickets: £12 in advance.  www.theunderworldcamden.co.uk

Saturday 22 December; Stonehenge Winter Solstice Managed Open Access with a celebration at sunrise at the stone circle. Free entry is allowed from 7.45am, but car parking costs £5. For full details: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/plan-your-visit/winter-solstice-at-stonehenge/

Saturday 22 December; Winter Solstice with Kent Gorsedd at Coldrum Stones, Neolithic Long Barrow, Trottiscliffe, Kent. Meet in the carpark before the event. Time: noon. https://www.facebook.com/events/307255833385451/

Saturday 22 December; Sisters of the Stones of Caer Abiri Winter Solstice Circle at Avebury in Wiltshire. Time: meet at 1pm, event starts 1.30pm. Free to attend. https://www.facebook.com/events/200023027562974/

Saturday 22 December; Yule Winter Solstice Ceremony with Watchers of the Old Ways at the Rollright Stones, off the A3400, Chipping Norton OX7 5QB. Time: Picnic from 1pm then ritual from 2pm - 3.30pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/194195568149109/

Saturday 22 December; Woodland Mid-Winter Ritual and Yule Celebrations with London Woodland Witches and Pagans. Location: Queen's Woods, Near Highgate Station. Meet at the Woodman pub at 2pm to walk to the woods. Tickets: £5/£3. Details: https://www.meetup.com/London-Woodland-Witches-Pagans-Magicians/

Saturday 22 December; Full Moon Celebration - The Journey Home. Venue: She's Lost Control, 42 Valentine Road, London E9 7AD. Time: 7pm-9.30pm. Tickets: £35. www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk

Sunday 23 December; Full Moon Peace Fires. Light a candle or fire for peace wherever you are in the world, for just for 10 minutes or an hour or longer and state the intention: “Let there be peace on earth and love for one another.” Details: http://peacefires.org/

Sunday 23 December, Winter Solstice Celebration on Primrose Hill with the Loose Association of Druids. Gather in the Hawthorne Grove at Primrose Hill, London, NW1 8YH, between 12.30pm and 12.45pm to prepare the site ready for a prompt 1pm start. Nearest tube: Chalk Farm. Bring a small contribution of food and drink to share. All are welcome. https://www.facebook.com/LooseAssociationOfDruidsOfPrimroseHill/

Sunday 23 December; Holly King – an ancient Pagan midwinter celebration for parents and children. Venue: Butser Ancient Farm, Chalton Lane, Petersfield PO8 0BG. Two sessions: 10.30am – 11.30am and 12.30pm to 1.30pm. Tickets £10. www.butserancientfarm.co.uk

Sunday 23 December; Christmas Vigil for the Outcast at Crossbones to honour The Goose and the outcast dead of Cross Bones Graveyard. Bring a flower, a ribbon, a totem or memento to tie to the shrine. Gather from 6.45pm for a 7pm start in Redcross Way outside the Memorial Gates, London SE1 1TA. For more details, visit  http://crossbones.org.uk/ or https://www.facebook.com/GooseandCrow/

Saturday 29 December; The Thin Veil of London. Two-hour walk around Holborn and Bloomsbury, interwoven with mysteries from the stories of Arthur Machen, with Minimum Labyrinth. Tickets:  £17.50 (£12.50 concessions). Time: 4pm-6.30pm. Details and booking:  www.minimumlabyrinth.org.

Saturday 29 December; Opening the road ritual. This is a ritual you can do in your own home with suggestions by Kitchen Witch Coven of Natural Witchery. The event is hosted Rachel Patterson. Venue: Your own home, wherever you are, at a time to suit you between 8am and 11pm. Free event. Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1973507059434581/

Monday 31 December; New Year's Eve Peace Fires. Light a candle or fire for peace wherever you are in the world, for just for 10 minutes or an hour or longer and state the intention: “Let there be peace on earth and love for one another.” Details: http://peacefires.org/

Thursday 3 January 2019; The Thin Veil of London. Two-hour walk around Holborn and Bloomsbury, interwoven with mysteries from the stories of Arthur Machen, with Minimum Labyrinth. Tickets:  £17.50 (£12.50 concessions). Time: 4pm-6.30pm. Details and booking:  www.minimumlabyrinth.org.

Friday 4 January; Intuitive Tarot Readings Night with the Tarot and Esoteric Discovery Group. Beginners welcome. Venue: The Light Zone, Apt B, 61 Compayne Gardens, London NW6 3DB. Time: 7pm. Cost: £12/£15. https://www.meetup.com/Tarot-and-Esoteric-Discovery-Group/

Saturday 5 January 2019; Vision Boards and Ritual with Leah Salmon. Workshop with Leah Salmon. at Alternatives. Venue: De Vere West One, 9-10 Portland Place, London W1B 1PR. Time: 11am- 5pm. Tickets £85 online. http://www.alternatives.org.uk/

Saturday 5 January 2019; Heart Beat - An Evening of Song and Drumming with Gong Master Olaf Nixon. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, Kensington, London, SW7 2EB. Time: 6pm - 7.30pm. Tickets: £21/£23. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Sunday 6 January 2019; Max Meditation class with Lisabetta every Sunday. Drop-in class suitable for beginners and more experienced meditators. Venue: The Little Escape Therapy Centre, 4 Paxton Mews, off Westow St, London SE19 3RW. Time: 10am-11am. Cost: £12 per class, £30 for 3 classes.
http://www.harmonious-healing.com

Sunday 6 January 2019; Oracle cards with Natasha Mann at the Red Tent Meetup Group. Venue in south east London. Time: 11.30am. Meetings are free but donations welcome. https://www.meetup.com/South-London-Red-Tent/

Sunday 6 January 2019;  Twelfth Night celebration. Holly King, Mummers' Play, the Bankside Wassail and more seasonal entertainment with The Lion's Part. Venue: Shakespeare's Globe, Bankside and Borough Market, Southwark, London, SE1 9DT. This is a free event starting at 2pm. For details visit http://www.thelionspart.co.uk/twelfthnight/index.html

Note: I do not organise any of these events. Although I try to make sure my listings are accurate, I am not responsible for late changes or ticket availability. Please contact the organisers before attending any event. If you notice something that needs correcting or changing - or if you want an event to be listed on my events page in future - please email me at badwitch1234@gmail.com

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