I’m back in Miami this week. I had a wonderful time at Summer Magick Fest and am now spending the rest of my time in South Florida with my family and dear friends.
Summer Magick Fest
Summer Magick Fest is an earth-based spirituality convention with rituals, workshops, and community. It was recently held for the first time in a comfortable hotel in Orlando, and I think there were about 100 people, which is excellent for a first-time event during the pandemic.
The highlights for me were spending time with my friends, seeing my teacher and friend Yeshe Matthews for the first time in about ten years, and participating in the opening ritual, main ritual, and Hekate’s Summer Devotional. I also enjoyed watching Belladonna Laveau and Dusty Dionne of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church in ritual together. They have a beautiful connection and watching them in action is delightful. I also had the pleasure of getting to know Ivo Dominguez, Jr. a little bit better. I’ve said on this blog that I think he’s one of our most brilliant minds.Â
You can’t have a Pagan festival without a marketplace. My favourite purchases include a beautiful Caribbean Quartz tower, a rattle from Dancing Wood, and the Tarot of the Greek Magical Papyri (and accessories) by Jason Augustus Newcomb.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Summer Magick Fest ended on Sunday morning, but friends and I stayed in Orlando for an extra day to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal. I went to this part of the theme park more than ten years ago, but it has since expanded, and I was excited to go.
Summer is the worst time to go to a Florida theme park. It’s volcanic-hot, extremely humid, and, with school out, the parks are very crowded. Universal Studios is not as well designed or as comfortable as Disney World, and, after the first few hours, I was constantly seeking shade or wanting to slip into an air-conditioned store. And unfortunately, two of the most exciting attractions, Hogwarts Expressed and Hogwarts, were closed for maintenance and due to technical issues. Still, I had fun. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a beautiful, immersive experience; being there with my fellow Witches was the best. You can see some photos on my Instagram.
The last week
These are my final days in Miami, and I’ll spend them mostly with my family and closest friends. Last night, I visited my Padrino, my Lukumi teacher, and, as usual, I feel like I levelled up.
It’s raining heavily this morning, but I’m hoping it will ease, and I’ll get to visit the cemeteries. This weekend, I’ll celebrate the Summer Solstice with my coven.
Sadly, I won’t get to visit everyone I wanted to see. This is only a three-week visit, and it’s gone by too quickly.
