EVENTS
2026 SweetWood Temenos Sabbats, Festivals and Events Calendar
- This year we Honor the Sun God and Moon Goddess in our Sabbats and Festivals. At the Fall Equinox we will have our annual power sharing ritual and the cycle will now become the Sun Goddess and Moon God.
- During the Sabbat celebrations, members and friends are welcome to camp over-night during the weekend (Fri + Sat nights), perhaps do some ground-keeping, enjoy the particular beauty of each season, and add love to the land. Camping is FREE during those weekends.
If you have any questions about camping, our rituals, or anything else, please contact us!
We gratefully accept any donations
- Reminder: Our celebrations include a potluck.
- Musical instruments & drums are welcome!
Imbolc – January 31st, 2026
Neptune – Priestess
Iacchus – Priest
Ritual and Fire at 2:00 pm with potluck feast afterward. Please contact us if you are planning to attend. Dress warmly, as we may need to walk about 1/3 of a mile from the Caretaker’s driveway back to the circle in the woods. I’ll plow a path back there but there will be some snow to walk through. There will be a fire in the circle, and we will be honoring the Sun God and her partner, the Moon Goddess. Bring along seeds to bless, poems or songs to share, or a musical instrument to play if you wish. This is a time of inspiration. Out in the woods at Midwinter, will you see or hear the quickening of the Land? Will Spring come early or not? Draw a Rune. What does it say about the next 6 weeks? We’ll share some hot cider and something to eat in the ritual. Then all will be invited to come back to the Caretaker’s warm home and continue our fellowship into the evening.
Paganicon Minneapolis – March 20th-22nd
Come and enjoy this indoor event at a new location this year. Stop by the SweetWood Temenos Hospitality room for snacks & chats. Paganicon is very well attended, a place to meet new people, explore other paths & support our Pagan healers, diviners & vendors.
Spring Equinox celebration – Sat April 4th
Mackinzie – Priestess
Pierre – Priest
Ritual at 2:00 pm with a fire in the circle (weather permitting) and potluck feast. Depending on field road conditions, you may need to walk back to the circle. Afterwards we’ll feast back at the Caretaker’s house and open the house for some evening celebration and good company.
Spring Earth Keepers Weekend – Fri April 17th – Sunday April 19th
This is a time for good folk to visit the Land and enjoy the early spring. There will be opportunities for planting, making firewood, campsite cleanup & development (such as campfire pits and tent sites), bathhouse clean-up, as well as enjoying the Land and our community. We’ll celebrate Earth & the renewal of the Land with a water-sharing, a fire in the circle and a pot-luck feast. Earth Keepers may camp through the weekend as the bathhouse will be open, weather permitting. (The Caretaker’s house will be open for use if the bathhouse is not open.)
Beltane Celebration – Sat May 2nd
Samantha – Priestess
Jack C – Priest
Ritual at 2:00 pm with a pot-luck feast afterward. Bring 18 – 20 feet of ribbon per person for the Maypole. Please bring food and/or drink to share. On Saturday night there will be a fire in the sacred circle for merry-making and fellowship. The bathhouse will be open for this Celebration.
Private Event (Tentative) – May 14th – May 17th
Memorial Day weekend Open House Campout – Fri May 22nd – Mon May 25th
Members and friends of SweetWood Temenos are welcome to visit, picnic, walk in the woods & fields, enjoy the springtime, and chat with members about SweetWood Temenos. We’ll have a fire in the circle Sunday evening (or in our shelter if rains). Bring drink, food & musical instruments. There is a suggested donation by non-members of $10 per night per tent or $25 for all three days (children’s tents FREE).
Summer Solstice Celebration – Sat June 20th
Neptune – Priestess
Iacchus – Priest
There will be feasting after the Solstice ritual at 3pm and a fire into the evening. Please bring food and/or drink to share. Let us make this a “summer ice cream social.” Grill out, drink, dance, play Kubb, play music and make merry on the longest Day of the year.
Please note that this ritual has special requirements. Please contact us.
THE 30th ANNUAL FREEDOM FESTIVAL
Wednesday July 1st at Noon – Sunday 5th
Opening Ritual Wed July 1st at 6:00 pm
Main Ritual, Delta – Priestess
Pierre – Priest
Come and enjoy the forests & fields, and our community of like-minded folk. Freedom Festival includes workshops, vendors, a symposium, the main ritual, potlucks, annual SweetWood town hall meeting, and relaxing with friends & lovers under starry nights. This year we will be celebrating our 29th Freedom Festival and 26th year as a church. More information will follow as we get closer to the festival. Freedom Festival is our main fundraising event of the year.
Lughnasa/Lammas Celebration – Sat Aug 8th
Michelle – Priestess
Chris K – Priest
The ritual will be at 3pm with pot-luck feast afterward and fire into the evening. This is a celebration of the first fruits of the harvest. In the ritual we will be giving thanks for what we have received this season! Toasts, boasts, and stories about one’s success are welcome. The feast will be celebrated with dishes and desserts of the season. Please bring some to share.
There may be other rituals planned for Lughnasa, prior and following this weekend, and more during the rest of the month. So, stay tuned… NOTE: Some may be closed to the public or by invitation only.
Labor Day Weekend Open House Gathering – Friday September 4th Monday September 7th.
Come camp, relax, and enjoy the land and this Holiday with friends. Bring your favorite instruments & share your songs & riffs with the community. Dance around the fire, or just relax and let it all be. Experience the magic of music in the hills, fields & forests of SweetWood. Stay for the day, or for the whole long weekend.
There is a suggested donation by non-members of $10 per night per tent or $25 for all three days (children’s tents FREE).
Fall Equinox Ritual & Earth-Keepers’ weekend – Fri Sept 18th – Sun Sept 20th
Delta – Priestess
Chris M – Priest
Ritual at 5PM. Potluck feast afterward and fire into the evening. Please bring food and/or drink to share. The ritual will be about giving thanks to the community and what one will give back to the community. It is also an energy hand-off, for a new cycle that begins with the Sun Goddess and Moon God.
Samhain Celebration – Sat October 31st
Aleya – Priestess
Iacchus – Priest
The Ritual at 5:30 pm (near sunset) with potluck feast afterward, and fire into the evening. Bring a carved pumpkin with a candle if you wish, and food and/or drink to share. Please arrive by 5:30 pm. The ritual will have three parts: honoring the Ancestors, the words of the God, and Divination.
Dress in costume if you wish.
Yule Celebration – Sat December 19th
Delta – Priestess
Chris K – Priest
Ritual at 3PM with potluck feast afterward and Bonfire into the evening. Please bring food and/or drink to share. Dress warm. This will be a celebration of the Return of the Light. The good folk who gathers will be asked to bring offerings, prayers and to share their heartfelt words for this season and times.
Imbolc – January 30st 2027
Aleya – Priestess
Pierre – Priest
Ritual and Fire at 2:00 pm with potluck feast afterward. Please contact Iacchus (aka Jack Ingersoll) at ingkj@mwt.net if you are planning to attend. Dress warmly, as we may need to walk about 1/3 of a mile from the Caretaker’s driveway back to the circle in the woods. I’ll plow a path back there but there will be some snow to walk through. There will be a fire in the circle, and we will be honoring the Sun Goddess and Moon God.