Practicing pagans organise festival of witchcraft for Milton Keynes

Two pagans are organising the city’s first ever festival of witchcraft.

WITCH will be a celebration of spirituality, paganism, peace, power and love, embracing witchy activities, yoga, crafts, tarot, mediumship and more.

It is being organised by friends Victoria Howlett and Fiona Knight who have visited many other festivals of spirituality, paganism and witchcraft across the UK.

"We are both practising pagans, and having visited other events, we decided to try and bring one to life in Milton Keynes,” said Victoria.

"There's still such a stigma when it comes to witches, but you wouldn't believe how many there are of us. It can be a religious thing, but not always,” she said.

"Most witches just want to live in a world of love and peace, where we respect the natural world and all the beautiful people and animals in it. I'd encourage curious people to come along and enjoy it!”

With her brother-in-law Kevin, Victoria runs a small shop in Bletchley’s Queensway called Emporium MK, selling crystals, incense and ”all things witchy”.

The shop has brought together a community of spiritual people who meet every week at a special "Witchy Social", said Victoria.

"This is where I met Fiona who has become a close friend...Fiona works in a foster home with vulnerable children. We both do as much as possible to support good causes locally.”

The festival to be held at Heron's Lodge Guide Centre at Great Holm on May 25 from midda until 8pm.

They have advertised the event on Facebook and already it has had a huge response.

Victoria said: “Fiona and I are both passionate about this festival and have so many ideas to make it amazing. We already have dozens of fantastic craft and retail stalls, hot and cold food, psychic readers, meditation experts, and witches of all shapes, sizes and paths ready to teach the folk who come along.

We have musical performances and workshops too. Most of the activities will be either free or very low cost, and the entry to the festival is free. It's family friendly and will have stalls and activities for kids.

“We hope this will be a huge success, and we can make it even bigger and better in the coming years.”