Something Wiccan this way comes

Since Christianity hit it big in the 4th century, there just don't seem to be as many pagan gatherings. So first-timers can be forgiven for having some misconceptions about the Southside Pagan Pride Fest slated for Saturday 3. For one thing, cloaks are optional. And you don't have to be a practicing pagan to attend.

What festivalgoers should expect is "a great party with good food and a lot of great stuff to buy," says Paulette Reynolds, a Wiccan high priestess from Dyer, Indiana, and the Pagan Pride Project's local coordinator. The Project is a national nonprofit that serves as an umbrella group for a variety of pagans—from those who practice Druidry to cults that worship the Egyptian goddess Isis.

The common thread of neopaganism is a belief in an ancient, nature-based religion or magical (which practitioners often spell as magickal) practice. "As Wiccans, we celebrate the goddess and the seasons, but we also work with witchcraft, though that is not a primary focus of our temple," says Reynolds, who leads a congregation that worships the deity Diana.

This week's get-together in Oak Forest is expected to draw pagans from across the region. Usually, it's hard to organize a large pagan gathering, she explains, because it's a loose-knit community with many small groups and some solitary practitioners. "Pagan Pride takes an inordinate amount of work, and many groups just can't afford that kind of time," she says.

Saturday's event promises a host of activities: tarot readings, children's crafts, a veggie-friendly barbecue, pagan-themed music (think Enya and Dead Can Dance) and workshops on everything from dream interpretation to creating a magical home. Several vendors—including Midlothian-based Witchy Wearables and online shop Rebecca's Enchanted Realm—will hawk oils, candles, crystal balls and velvety cloaks of the sort popular with Harry Potter fans. Local writer Janet Berres, author of Tarot Kit for Beginners, will also be on hand to sign books and present a workshop on divination.

According to Reynolds, the vibe is like that of any neighborhood picnic or pride fest—except that attendees might be talking about invoking the goddess or coming out of the "broom closet" as a Wiccan. She hopes this year's festival will help dispel certain prejudices against paganism. "Watch TV or open a newspaper, and pagans are either seen as devil worshippers or totally amoral," Reynolds says. "We're all your average, middle-of-the-road working people. We're teachers, we're hairdressers, we're housewives, we're lawyers. There are just so many different expressions. We're Middle America."

As evidence of their benevolent nature, Reynolds notes the pagan tradition of altruism. This year, the group is holding a food drive to benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository and the Pantry of Rich Township. There also will be a silent auction where festival-goers can bid on items like a ritual robe and gift baskets of "pagan bath products." Proceeds benefit the American Red Cross. "Charity events and the ritual are the two main things that happen [at a pagan festival]—or should," Reynolds says.

The highlight of Pagan Pride Fest is the autumn equinox ritual, where everyone forms a circle and gives thanks to the season, the elements, gods and each other. "Our theme this year is the many faces of paganism," Reynolds says. "We're celebrating the different cultural traditions within paganism." All are welcome to join the ritual, which will incorporate Egyptian, Celtic, Norse, shamanistic and other elements. But if you do attend, Reynolds says, "bring an open mind, an open spirit and an open heart." She adds, "Nobody is going to try to convert anybody. This is just a celebration of our tradition."

The Southside Pagan Pride Fest conjures good times Saturday 3 in Oak Forest.