We welcome you to a Spooktacular Samhain with us at Camp West Mar! Our spooky season's happenings will include traditional activities and classes. Our camp amenities will include flush toilets, hot showers, and heated cabins!

Come in your most splendid masks and costumes to our Saturday night dance party, or hunt for candies and prizes during our pumpkin-themed scavenger hunt!

See the main Samhain page for further details: Samhain

An optional Meal Plan featuring Friday dinner and brunch Saturday and Sunday is available for an additional $25. Saturday night's Feast is included in the price of registration.

Please enjoy a fall-filled weekend and have some extra cozy fun!

Samhain Celebration Schedule

Friday:

• Camp opens at 3pm
• Craft stations open, including mask making and pumpkin carving (These will stay open until Saturday afternoon)
• Meal Plan Dinner (deconstructed shepherd's pie)
• Opening Ritual (rites of protection, both for the immediate event, and the season)
• • This ritual will be centered around the origin of Trick-or-Treating, and how that was originally a ritual of protection for a community at a point in the Cycle of Seasons that was considered particularly dangerous.
  • Please dress as a figure from any mythology of the world, or any folk-story, as long as that figure is considered evil, dangerous, or harmful. (This is a costume party, but not the kind for Power Ranger costumes, or "adult kitten" outfits)
  • At the end of the ritual we will be taking a short walk to a spot in the woods, and giving food offerings to the animals/nature spirits.
• Bardic near fire, until midnight

Saturday:

• Meal Plan Breakfast (hot oatmeal w/ choice of condiments)
• Divination Cafe' and other workshops
• Activities and workshops
• 6:13pm - Main Ritual (first half)
• • We will beg the Guardians and Rulers of the Land of the Dead to release the souls of our Beloved Dead to us, so that they and we may enjoy a meal and a party in each other's company.
• 6:45pm - Dinner
• • One member of our community will present a small ritual for the Forgotten Dead during the meal.
  • This is not a Silent (Dumb) Supper, but we encourage people to tell stories of their Beloved Dead.
  • We encourage people to bring to the event tokens of some of their Beloved Dead, such as small photographs, or other mementos. Each table will have one empty seat, at which all such tokens will be placed.
• 8:00pm - Party
• • This is a costume parts in the modern mode: wear whatever costume you want, and come and dance!
  • There will be DJed music.
• 9:00pm - Main Ritual (second half)
• • We will thank the Guardians and Rulers of the Land of the Dead for releasing the souls of our Beloved Dead, and release those souls back to them.
• Bardic
• 11:00pm: Extra Ritual - Journey of Enlightenment
• • We all carry burdens. In this ritual, we will go on a symbolic journey into the Land of the Dead, and there we will lay down our burdens, and journey back to the normal world feeling much lighter.

Sunday:

• Meal Plan Brunch (hot oatmeal w/ choice of condiments)
• Closing Ritual
• Pack out by 3pm

About the Venue:  

YMCA Camp West Mar, 14509 Brown Road, Sabillasville, MD 21780

Lodging Options

Camping and bunk bed options are paid on a per-person basis. The private rooms may be shared by more than one person; in which case, only one member of the group needs to register for the Private Room; additional guests should register under the "Guest - Private Room" setting.

The lodging options are as follows:

1. Camping! - With access to indoor bathrooms, showers, and flush toilets. Tent-only this time (no car camping or RVs).
2. Bed in a Shared Cabin - Bring your own pillow and linens. Bathrooms and showers are in an adjacent building. Cabins 1-4 have ten bunk beds per room, Cabin 5 five bunk beds and 7 single beds.
3. Private Room with Two Single Beds - Bring your own pillow and linens. Bathrooms and showers are in an adjacent building. Four rooms available.
4. Guest - Private Room - use this option if you plan to share a Private Room with someone else, who's already reserved the room.

Meal Plan:  A basic meal plan is available for those who do not wish to cook. We will provide dinner on Friday, and breakfast Saturday and Sunday. Cost TBD

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What To Bring:

• Bed Linens: Cabins are set up with single and bunk beds. There are 5 cabins so you will be able to choose your own spot and we'll be able to spread out. They are just beds so you will want to bring bed linens, pillows etc.
• Ancestor tokens: We encourage people to bring to the event tokens of some of their Beloved Dead, such as small photographs, or other mementos. Each table will have one empty seat, at which all such tokens will be placed.
• Ritual clothing: There will be two rituals that we recommend bringing special clothing for! For our opening ritual, bring dress as a figure from any mythology of the world, or any folk-story, as long as that figure is considered evil, dangerous, or harmful. For our Saturday ritual, bring a modern costume!

FAQs:

• Times: Feel free to arrive anytime after 3pm on Friday. Sunday pack out should be planned for 3pm.
• Ice? Coolers?: There is an ice machine on-site and a walk-in fridge so you are welcome to keep a personal cooler but you are also welcome to keep important fridge items in the kitchen fridge.
• Coffee/Tea: We're bringing Darla (the coffee pot). So we'll have hot coffee, tea, and cocoa available throughout the weekend.
• Fire: There are no personal fires permitted but we should have some awesome opportunities for group fire.

Any other questions or concerns feel free to reach out: Admin@StoneCircleCouncil.org

COVID-19 and our Community Health Policy:

We require all attendees to adhere to SCC's health policy, which is outlined here.