We’re thrilled to announce our 2019 Guests of Honor Kristoffer Hughes and Doctor Beverley Smith!
Kristoffer Hughes is a native Welsh speaker, born to a Welsh family in the mountains of Snowdonia, he is the Head of the Anglesey Druid Order and the award winning author of several books on Celtic mythology and Druidry.
Kristoffer is a Druid of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, and is it’s 13th Mount Haemus Scholar. He frequently facilitates workshops and courses throughout the UK and the USA, in addition to co facilitating and managing the school of the Anglesey Druid Order.
Kristoffer works professionally for Her Majesty’s Coroner service as a Autopsy Technologist and Bereavement Officer, and is a Welsh language TV and stage actor. He lives on the Isle of Anglesey, the last stronghold of the ancient British Druids, with his partner Ian and their cat, Lilly.
We would like to thank Llewellyn for sponsoring Kristoffer at Paganicon 2019.
Beverley Smith, also known as “Doctor Beverley” in the Conjure/Hoodoo community, has been a spiritual teacher and civil rights advocate since the early 1990s. She was a teacher and a High Priestess in the Druidic Craft of the Wise: The American Rite for over 20 years. Currently she is a two-headed Conjure Doctor, a bone reader, and Rootworker who teaches divination and herbal magic in the Hoodoo/Conjure tradition. A spoken-word artist and storyteller, social justice is her passion. Her interests include contemporary West Indian folk literature, African-American folk magic and revolutionary art of all kinds.
Please join us in welcoming Doctor Beverley to Paganicon!
Featured Guests
Featured Guests – the Reverend Jean ‘Drum’ Pagano, GoGo Nydaz and Cerri Lee!
Reverend Jean ‘Drum’ Pagano joined Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship (ADF) ADF in 1984 as its eighth member. He was ordained in 2011, consecrated in 2012, and became a Senior Priest in 2013. He was elected Archdruid of ADF in 2016. He is a Druid Grade member of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD), and a Druid of the 3rd Order of the Reformed Druids of North America (RDNA). He enjoys working with his various altars, spending time in Nature, and studying and teaching the Ogham. He is the author of five books. His previous books are: Arise from Vapours, Willow Flow, and A Tree for the Earth Mother. He recently released two additional books, Saule and the Sunrise, and Saule and the Sunset. He lives in Toledo, Ohio.
Please join us in welcoming Rev. Jean ‘Drum’ Pagano to Paganicon!
Cerri Lee
Cerri Lee is a Druid with more than twenty years experience. She joined the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids in 1997 and more recently the Anglesey Druid Order.
Along with her partner Damh the Bard Cerri has facilitated the Anderida Gorsedd at the Long Man of Wilmington in Sussex, which began at the Spring Equinox 2000 and just held its 150th open ritual. The Anderida Gorsedd has also created many immersive spiritual camps as well as holding an annual conference, Anderida Fest.
Cerri’s passion lies in exploring and revealing hidden mysteries held within ancient poetry and story, particularly those pertaining to the British Isles, in order to create rituals and workshops that bring their profound inspirations into a relevant modern context.
We are thrilled to have these three join us at Paganicon and guess what? There is one more announcement coming soon!
Special Guests
2019 Special Guests HEALING ROOTS!
The Work of Healing Roots
Our Vision
Community with Diversity
Healing Roots provides an effective, comprehensive, and compassionate process for understanding whiteness, working respectfully across culture, and being an agent of positive change.
For:
Groups of professionals wanting effective tools for working across culture
Organizations wanting trainings on structural racism or European American culture
Individuals of European heritage looking for healthy ways to understand their cultural identity and be effective agents of social change.
Musical guests Tuatha Dea will be keeping the party going all night long!
Tuatha Dea, the Appalachian, Celtic, Tribal, Rock Band (and family) from Gatlinburg TN has been called pure primal energy with a Celtic, World and ROCK twist. The bands eclectic sound blends the tribal vibe of primitive drums with conventional and non-conventional instruments to create a real evolutionary musical crossover that defies category and genre! Combining primal rhythms, melodic and ethereal ballads, screaming guitar riffs with an Appalachian/Celtic vibe this FAMILY born of a family drum circle delivers an authentic tribal and clannish feel that not only draws the audience into the music but into the moment and clan as well. Their rhythmic groove and interaction naturally inspires audience participation which has become a staple of their performances.
FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT
Damh the Bard
Damh the Bard (born Dave Smith) was obsessed by music from a very tender age. Regularly found by his parents singing at the top of his voice on his rocking horse to John Denver and Ralph McTell, it soon became apparent what his life-long goals would be. He got his first guitar aged 8 years old, and was taught Irish folk by his teacher, a multi-instrumentalist Irishman by the name of Tim O’Leary. Dave played his first live concerts at the age of 11 in pubs on the Isle of Wight, and took his guitar to school at every opportunity to entertain his classmates.
Suite 9 will be hosted by the Druids of the Midwest (multiple groups including Northern Roots Grove, Oakdale Grove, Koad Grove, Protogrove of the Whispering Spirits, Protogrove of the Singing Oak Springs, Sinnissippi Tuath Grove, and Mountains of Bran Beith)
