Samhain 2025: Dancing with the Dead

We celebrate as the wheel of the year turns on. Samhain is the pagan holiday of honoring the ancestors and the end of harvest.

Featured at this event:

• Three community rituals
• Multiple educational and participatory workshops
• Ancestors Altar
• A Friday night costume dance party
• Pumpkin carving and hayride
• A costume and crafts showcase
• Scary stories around a bonfire
• Art Raffle and Silent Auction

Event Program

COMING SOON: a PDF of the program for previewing. A printed program will be available upon check-in and the PDF will be emailed to those who register online.

Community Involvement

Art Raffle & Silent Auction Donations

Art and Craft pieces are always welcome donations that help fundraise at the ticketed events for OSS. Your free-will donated item is greatly appreciated and will be used for this or future events. 

T-Shirts and mugs will be available for sale at the event as part of Oak Spirit Sanctuary’s fundraising efforts.

Community Volunteering

Many hands make light work! We are asking participants to volunteer to help with the tasks of this event. Time commitment is minimal, with flexible timeframes to do the tasks so you don’t miss any parts of the event. Take Down crew would be the most vigorous and longer shifts of the available tasks at the end of the event.
 Please sign up for a task onsite when you check in at registration. 

Items to bring for this event

Specific for this event’s programming, rituals, and activities:

• A Halloween costume or fabulous outfit for the Friday night party or Saturday Showcase: (both adults and children)
• Snacks, Appetizers, Adult beverages, Non-alcoholic drinks if you wish to contribute something to the Friday night Samhain party.
• A potluck dish for about 10 to 12 people with ingredients labeled. Please keep your food item appropriately cooled for food safety considerations until cooking or presenting. If you need help with keeping your item cold until needed, let an event organizer know.
• Drums, percussion and acoustic instruments for Bardic Circle
• Crystals, charms, or other personal trinkets for sacred broom crafting.
• Offerings and mementos for the Ancestor’s Altar. Photos, funeral cards, flowers, food items, memorabilia from your loved ones. These items are to be returned to you at the end of the event (or when you leave.)
• Late October weather is unpredictable. Please bring warm clothing, rain appropriate wear, and warm or waterproof footwear in case of colder or rainy weather.

Gate Hours

Friday: Gate is open from 3:00 pm (when the event begins) to 9:00 pm

Saturday: Gate is open from 9:00 am to 9:00pm. If you are attending with a Saturday Day Pass, you must leave by midnight.

Sunday: Gate is open from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm (when the event ends)

Although the gate is closed at 9:00 pm, this is for entries and anyone can leave the property at any time.

Natural Laws of Oak Spirit Sanctuary

The Oak Spirit Sanctuary Natural Laws is a document that summarizes the main rules and policies we need to know to be good stewards for the land and to the community.  Please visit that page to familiarize yourself with the Natural Laws.

The Basics of Camping At Oak Spirit Sanctuary

The grounds of OSS are open and do not have designated camping sites as one might expect at a state park campground. You may camp anywhere that is not a ritual or community space.  Tent, pull-behind campers, and drivable camping vehicles are all allowed.  

Camping is rustic and primitive: There are no electric or water hook-ups, no flush toilets, no RV waste disposal.  Porta-potties are available on site. 

There is a shower house for hot showers, with both “open air” and a private stall available. Showers are generally open to “mixed company.”

OSS does not offer trash disposal services. Please plan to remove your own trash and recycling. If you pack it in, plan to pack it out.

 Pets may attend but must be leashed and under control at all times. Owners must clean up pet waste.

Fires can only be made in established fire circles. Please do not start new fire circles All fires are sacred and no trash is ever thrown into the fire. Please dispose of your cigarette butts in your own camp trash, not into the fires. 

For full information regarding land use, camping, and expectations of conduct, please see the Natural Laws.

Ice will be available to purchase on site: $3.00 cash $3.25 card payment per bag.

Accessibility 

If you have accessibility challenges and need more information about the grounds or amenities at OSS or how we can best help you, please contact info@oakspiritsanctuary.org.

Event Pricing and Dates of Pricing Changes

September 25th: Online registration opens with an early discount.

Early registration discount is available through Wednesday October 7th, ending at midnight!

October 8th: Regular event price begins

October 22nd: Online registration ends, At-the-Gate registration will be available

Saturday Day Pass: Arrive as early as 9:00 am when gate opens. Must leave event by Saturday night, midnight.

	Early Registration Sale Price 9/25 to 10/7 (11:55 pm)	Regular Price 10/8 to 10/22 (11:55 pm)	At the Gate
Full Event	$35	$45	$55
Saturday Day Pass	$20	$20	$25

• Work vouchers may be used for discounts up to half off the entry price. Work vouchers are transferable to others. Please contact info@oakspiritsanctuary.org to receive a special code to use your vouchers.
• OSS can accept cash or card payments. 
• Children 17 years and younger are free.
• Outdoor Camping is included with registration. 
• For questions about refunds, please email: info@oakspiritsanctuary.org

Purchase Registration through Zeffy.

Use link below. Please note that Zeffy automates its ticketing fees at a certain percentage. You can change this to a different amount (even zero).

Financial Assistance for Event Attendance

OSS wishes to decrease barriers to event attendance. If you are experiencing financial hardship that makes it difficult to attend one of the ticketed weekend festivals, please email: info@oakspiritsanctuary.org

Questions?

Please email info@oakspiritsanctuary.org