Change in all things is sweet. — Aristotle
As the first buds unfurl on branches and the earth awakens from its winter slumber, we invite you to Graceful Embrace, our 2024 All Gender Spring Faerie Gathering. Just as the cherry blossoms reach for the sky, we, too, are called to stretch our wings and embrace the growth that comes from pushing against the boundaries of familiarity.
Growth, in its myriad forms, is the heartbeat of the gathering. It is the recognition that within each of us lies the potential for blossoming into our fullest, most authentic selves. Graceful Embrace invites us to dance in the fertile soil of self-discovery. Like the flowers reaching for the sun, we explore for our own potential, acknowledging that growth often involves stretching beyond the comfortable and into the unknown.
With Graceful Embrace, we embody the fluidity of transformation, acknowledging that change is not to be feared but embraced. As a new butterfly emerges from transformational cocoon, we too can shed layers of what could have been and emerge with what we could be. Change becomes not a challenge but a celebration—a testament to the resilience and adaptability of the human spirit.
Graceful Embrace is a celebration of growth, a dance of change, and an exploration of boundless potential. As we gather beneath the burgeoning blossoms of spring, let this gathering inspire us to embrace the inevitable growth that comes with change. Let it be a reminder that, like nature itself, we are in constant flux, and in that flux lies the richness of our individual and collective journeys. With each twirl, let us celebrate the potential that resides within us, waiting to unfurl like the petals of a flower in full bloom.
This gathering is drug and alcohol free.
Registration
Please fill out the registration form here.
Registrations will not be completed until both payment and registration form are received.
The registration fee is $450.00 in Canadian funds. Below is the breakdown of the costs:
$360.00 – Evans Lake Camp Fee
$24.00 – Log Cabin Rental
$6.00 – Vegan Surcharge
$10.00 – Insurance
$10.00 – Long Weekend Holiday Pay
$20.50 – Tax
$12.73 – Square Fee
$7.00 – Misc Expenses
$450.23 – Total
$450.00 – Rounded down
Payments will be made with Square. If you are paying by credit card, you will receive an invoice. If you are paying by debit, you will be directed to a volunteer near you who can process your debit card.
We are not accepting cheques or bank transfers for this gathering.
Registration Deadline
You can register up until May 10, 2024.
Waiting List
We will keep a first-come, first-served wait list in the event we exceed capacity. If we do have a waitlist, we encourage you to submit a registration application online but do not send in payment until you have been notified by the registrar that a spot has opened up.
Confirmation
A letter of confirmation will be emailed to registrants with additional details needed to prepare for camp. Confirmations may not be sent out immediately, so please be patient.
Cancellations
Cancellations received prior to May 10, 2024 will be partially refunded, less the fees charged by square (These are no longer refunded to our organisation). After that date, the numbers are reported to Evans Lake, and we will have to pay for each reserved spot – therefore registration fees may be forfeited for any cancellations received after May 10, 2024. If you must cancel after that date, please notify the planning circle immediately so we can find someone on the waitlist to take your spot.
Faerie Fee Funds
We have a limited Faerie Fee Fund (FFF). We will subsidise up to half the cost to applicants on a low or fixed income on a first-come, first-served basis (subject to availability). Please request subsidy only if you need it, and request only as much as you need.
We encourage those who have the means to do so to sponsor someone who might be unable to attend for lack of funds. If you are able to donate to our fund, please do so as well. Having said all that, if you are not able to pay, contact us. We will see what we can do.
Registrations are not complete until paid in full. Ensure that the registrant portion is paid immediately for the requested FFF support to be released. In the event the funds are exhausted, the registrant will be invited to pay the full cost; and if unwilling, their partial fee will be refunded.
Location
The venue where this magic manifests is the Evans Lake Forest Sanctuary. Located in the Squamish River Valley, on the unceded territory of the Skwxwu7mesh people, Evans Lake is an hour and a half drive from Vancouver, located 15 kilometres north of Squamish, BC. The secluded lake is surrounded by forested hills, overseen by the mammoth peaks of the Coast Range, and glacier-fed rivers.
Covid Guidelines
We look to the British Columbia Ministry of Health and Evans Lake for current health guidelines, and we are expected to comply with them. Please keep in mind that these guidelines are fluid and can change at a moment’s notice. Some guidelines (or restrictions) we can work with, some we cannot so decisions will be made as best as we can.
We do ask that we all be mindful and keep our community safe, so please be up to date on your vaccinations and be sure to test for Covid before you arrive.
Accessibility
The camp is on a rather hilly terrain that may be a concern for those with mobility issues. We will try and accommodate you as best as we can and find solutions together.
Transportation
Parking is very limited, so carpooling is strongly encouraged. You can let us know on your registration form if you need a ride or if you can offer a ride. We can coordinate rides to Faerie Camp and a planning circle member will start arrangements in April. There are also several bus services available to take you from Vancouver to Squamish and we can arrange pick-up there.
Facilities
Besides a kitchen/dining hall and sleeping cabins, there is a large recreation hall for heart circles, complete with comfy chesterfields and wood burning fireplace. We also have use of a large log cabin as a meditation, bodywork, and quiet space during the day and as the Love Lounge during the evenings. Then, there is the pristine mountain lake itself – ideal for canoeing and swimming. Bathing suits are allowed but not necessary. The lake comes with all amenities, including canoes and paddle boards. The site has a 10km (6 miles) network of hiking trails. We will include additional details in your confirmation letter.
Accommodations
There are ten heated, “rustic” cabins, each having 11 single beds and communal washrooms, as well as additional limited sleeping rooms in the Recreation Hall for those with mobility issues (please indicate this on your registration form). Sleeping arrangements are not assigned unless you have made special arrangements for sleeping in the Recreation Hall. You must bring all your own bedding.
There is space behind the cabins for those inclined to sleep in tents. Space is assigned on a first come, first served basis. October weather can be unpredictable, so be prepared for rain and sudden drops in temperature. The registration fee is the same regardless of whether you choose to sleep in a cabin, tent, or vehicle. Due to limited parking space, the use of campers or RVs is discouraged. If you wish to bring one, please discuss it with the planning circle first to ensure space.
Meals
There will be three meals per full day (dinner will be served on the Friday after arrival and on the Monday of departure breakfast and lunch will be served). The talented kitchen staff produces appetising, well-balanced, and nutritious meals, always including fresh vegetables and salad. They also prepare evening snacks for us to munch on by the campfire. They can accommodate vegetarian, vegan, and many other specialised diets on a limited basis. Please indicate your dietary needs on your registration form as they will only prepare special diets based on those registrations.
Mobile Phones
Signal reception is very erratic, spotty, and unreliable at camp. It is best to put your mobile phone away and fully interact with your Faerie Family face-to-face. There is a phone with the staff at Evans Lake available in case of emergencies.
Safety, Respect and Faerie Ethos
We can all ensure the quality of the gathering by adhering to the sacred principles of Faeriedom: safety, confidentiality, and love and respect for one another, including the caring staff of Evans Lake. Please only take, post, or share photos and videos with permission of the subjects. Our ethos calls on each of us to be responsible for our own experiences while respecting the dignity and enjoyment of others, Subject/Subject consciousness. Ask for what you need or want. Speak your truth with compassion. Be direct, be honest. Let your yes mean yes and your no mean no. But above all, be kind and patient with one another. Remember, consent is sexy and mandatory!