Untamed seeds were planted well over two years ago, and like surprise flowers in the vegetable garden.. We are sprouting up and bringing a little color to the community! This may not be the Untamed our volunteers first imagined and it is still a work in progress so please be patient with us as it all comes together.
First things first.. Our new location is high in the Colorado mountains in Pine and affords our inaugural festival an opportunity to find footing in this uncertain world. For those in our community that have attended DragonFest in the last decade, Untamed will be on the same property with the same gracious host. The property is rustic. Primitive. While we will have parking for RVs and longer vehicles, there are no amenities like we had at our prior location. We will have port-o-potties and gorgeous views instead.
The next elephant in the room.. Covid precautions. All around us the world is trying to figure out how to move forward while keeping each other safe. The Untamed Volunteers Staff have committed to being vaccinated unless it is medically ill advised, and we are requiring that all guests either provide proof of vaccination or the negative results of a PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival at the Untamed gates. Untamed will also be a ‘masks encouraged’ space with masks required in crowded spaces like rituals and workshops. It may be that we do not need to take this level of precaution when June comes around but in order to provide safe space for all, these precautions will remain in place. For some this is too much. For some this is not enough. For Untamed, this is our best guess at keeping folks safe and engaged in community. We are fortunate to have a virtual offering for those who cannot attend the in person event- for whatever reason- and offer our best wishes to those who choose not to engage with our event at all. The volunteer staff knew they were making a difficult choice, and that you will make your own choices about what level of precaution is best for you.
It is time to step up and step out so that we can get back to enjoying company around a campfire and a kid’s parade full of Pride. It is time to make space for learning new things and celebrating our current stations surrounded by encouragement and drums. It is time to see old friends, make new ones and guide the next batch of new Pagans through community introductions. We may not have something for everyone but we will make space for everyone with an open mind/heart to figure out if they like us enough to stick around. Untamed is meant to be such an opportunity. To give and to gain in spiritual celebration and exploration.
Over the next couple months our volunteer staff will be posting here about their hopes, favorite things and gifts to the Untamed festival. Please check back to get new insights and meet the volunteers!
May the god/desses and good spirits guide us as we move adventure forward together!
~Jean Loomis, Untamed Director