Lughnassadh Ritual and Games

Sunday, August 6, 2017
Games Begin at 1:00 pm; Ritual at 3:00 pm
Lakeview Grove, North Park (North of Pittsburgh, PA)

Join the Druids of Sassafras Grove for our annual Lughnassadh ritual and games! Our rite will celebrate the marriage of Lugh, the Irish god of skill, to the Lady of Sovereignty, the goddess of the land. Our land, Pittsburgh, is characterized by the convergence of our three rivers, so we will gather the waters to be blessed by our local Sovereignty Goddess. This rite celebrates the Grove’s 25^th year, and a time to reflect on our personal and community skills and work.

Schedule of Events:

1:00 pm:  Games begin

3:00 pm: Ritual begins

5:30 pm: Potluck picnic

What to Bring:
An offering to Lugh. Particularly appropriate offerings include something that showcases your skills or first fruits from your garden/local market.

An offering to Lady Sovereignty. Please bring your local waters, from a river, stream, or lake.

A camp chair or blanket to sit outside

A dish to share at the potluck

Water and sunscreen

Annual Lughnassadh Games

Adults compete for the title of Grove Champion while children can earn prizes!
Adult competitions:
1) Brewing/Cooking: Bring pre-made items of your own creation to be judged. Your cooking entry, if you wish, may later also be your potluck contribution.

2) Wheel of Fortune: Spin the wheel and solve the Lugh-themed puzzles.

3) Corn Hole: Show off your throwing accuracy in this harvest game.

4) Coloring Contest: Dazzle us with your artistry using pencils, crayons, or markers (coloring books will be provided).

5) Plinko: Play this “Price Is Right” based game outdoors to rack up the most points.

6) Wildcard:  Choose your own skill to show off (e.g. juggling, magic, bardic song/music/prose, etc.)

Children’s games will be determined onsite.

While alcohol is permitted at this event, glass bottles and containers are not allowed at this site. Please plan accordingly.  Sassafras Grove expects all guests who choose to drink alcohol to do so legally and responsibly.

Our rites and events are free and open to the community, but we do rely on the monetary donations of those who are able to defray the cost of space rental and ritual supplies.         Support your local Druids!

Plant a tree!  We are collecting this year to plant trees through the Arbor Day Foundation.  For only $2 we can plant a tree in a national forest in honor of the Earth Mother.

For more information about this event, Sassafras Grove in general, or our parent church Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship (ADF), please feel free to email us at info@sassafrasgrove.org.

Directions to Lakeview Grove

Enter North Park via McKnight and Babcock Boulevard; Turn east off of McKnight onto  Babcock. Follow Babcock onto Pearce Mill Road; Turn Right (uphill) onto North Ridge Road; follow North Ridge Road uphill past many smaller groves.  Lake View Grove will be on your left, near a crest in the hill. There is ample graveled parking, but the Grove itself is not visible from the road.  For a map, please visit the Parks Web site at: http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/parks/maps.aspx