QUEER SPIRIT FESTIVAL 2023: “A beautiful, life changing moment of radical community.”
The organisers would like to thank all our amazing volunteers, facilitators and performers who contributed to the phenomenal success of this years Queer Spirit festival, each of whom gave their skills and talents without payment to help build the energy of conscious, spiritual, heart-centred queer community. We would also like to acknowledge that not quite everything went as smoothly as the glowing testimonials portray – and want to assure you all that we hear what you're telling us. It is our intention to make improvements and innovations next time and make Queer Spirit Festival an entirely magical, radical, inclusive, diverse, sexy and comfortable space for all!
Plans are already taking shape for the next Queer Spirit festival and we will be returning to Bridwell Park, August 15-19th, 2024!
Watch for emails and online announcements!
See the photos at https://queerspirit.net/festival/gallery
Just some of the testimonials received so far (see them all at https://queerspirit.net/festival/testimonials)
“Queer Spirit is the most life changing and recharging festivals I’ve ever been to. A beautiful collection of people from all communities of gender, sexuality, age, ethnicity, privilege, coming together to recognise the connection we all have to the earth, to each other, and the impact we can have on making the world a much better, hopeful, free, delightful and beautiful place. No one left unchanged, and the workshops were so accessible and interesting that everyone could grow and learn together.”
“Never experienced a festival quite like this before, what a wonderful trip it was! Beautiful location, wonderful people and just a warm, welcoming and open atmosphere overall.”
“Spiritual, sexual and magical.”
“The festival was so healing, that I could be my authentic self; show up, be in dress without any shame or past wounding coming up. A safe space with other glorious beings being themselves also. The energy created and connection made was so special that it was like coming home to myself. Will treasure this experience and integrate the felt wisdom into my new daily life.”
“LOVED this festival! THE most safe, welcoming space I think I've ever had the privilege of being in. I felt I was able to connect to parts of myself that I'd previously never opened up to and had some amazingly moving, healing, and heart-felt experiences. Was magical to share such a freeing, high vibration space with so many queer and trans siblings. I found it a great festival you could take fast and loud, or slow and quiet; whichever you were feeling on the day. I will absolutely be returning and would recommend to anyone within the queer community who connects with spirituality on any level!”
“Great workshops, some of the best I’ve taken part in!”
“So much love and hard work to bring queer people together in community and celebration. Fantastic location and filled with the most sparkly lovely queer people around. A precious joy!”
“The festival was so wonderful. It is an experience of being tapped into the field of love for four days. Everything was so relaxed and so meaningful.”
“Thank you to everyone for creating a wonderful space for all!”
“So many different bodies, so many different ages, so many different styles, accents, eyes and hearts Never ever have I seen so many colors all at once.”
“Lovely friendly relaxed festival in a beautiful setting. Good opportunities for reconnecting with nature / self / others and testing your limits.”
“What an absolutely beautiful event. I came hungry for queer community and I found it. I was a bit nervous about coming to the festival alone, but everyone was so friendly, and there were so many workshops that gave opportunities for connection, so I never felt lonely. The atmosphere was utterly joyous, and it was deeply healing for me to have the chance to connect with so many other queer and trans/NB people. Thank you so much for making this possible.”
“I have never felt so safe and supported at a festival. This deep immersion into queer community was nourishing and healing, and I felt comfortable to express my fullest self. The performances were amazing, hilarious, moving, and the workshops have inspired me and given me wisdom and skills that I have taken back into my day to day life.”
“There is not a moment I would not relive..it was such a wonderful time.”
Non-binary style editor of Tatler magazine, Chandler Tregaskes, came along to the festival and shared their excitement online in a blog post:
“I witnessed an unrivalled sense of freedom amongst attendees. Fairy nymphs donned floor-scraping, hand-made feathered wings as they pranced around the fields listening to Soft Cell’s Tainted Love; another guest strutted through the grass wearing a wedding gown bedecked with crystals; another group of happy hippies perched on logs under parasols, sheltering from the sun. It’s not just that ‘anything goes’ here when it comes to expressing your identity, but all are welcomed in with an unbridled sense of community and love...
“Like how the original Glastonbury Fayre’s began with a small group of like-minded individuals immersing themselves in a shared love of the arts in the South West, a feeling of togetherness ran throughout the affair. After all, Worthy Farm is only an about an hour away. But with no alcohol served on site, it was a sense of sobriety and unadulterated equality that filled the air instead of boozy breath and cigarette smoke. Nature and spirituality is the drug du jour here.”
The article quotes venue host Ivar Mountbatten:
“Ivar was positively smitten with how the event turned out, in awe of the kindness of its attendees. ‘It was actually quite emotional, because a lot of people came up to me and thanked me profusely for allowing them to come to what they perceived as such a beautiful place. But not only that, to come here, and experience and be safe, be in a safe environment where they could just be themselves,’ he tells me. ‘I think it’s done the village a lot of good. And there’s been no negativity on social media whatsoever. It's been great. I can't speak highly enough of them. They’re just so gentle and so lovely...
And it was a real eye-opener from our point of view. But it was an eye-opener in a really lovely way. And I can't express how fabulous everybody was!"
