The 2026 Frederick Pagan Pride Day drew roughly 500 attendees and raised 569.15 lbs of donations for the Frederick Animal Shelter, 596.23 lbs of donations for the Frederick Food Bank, and 569.15 lbs of donations for the animal shelter, and 85.75 lbs of donations for the Western Maryland Immigrants Rights Coalition. Photos by Suzi Johnson.

The tenth Frederick Pagan Pride Day is in the books, and I’m left as always trying to find a way to turn my thoughts and gratitude into words. Before I attempt that, here are the final tallies:

Around 500 people visited the festival this year, and that’s despite losing the last two hours to rain!

We collectively raised:

569.15 lbs of donations for the animal shelter

596.23 lbs of donations for the Frederick Food Bank

85.75 lbs of donations for the Western Maryland Immigrants Rights Coalition

That averages out to around 2.5 pounds of donations per person. The generosity of our community is really something. Thank you so much for helping us help some of the most vulnerable in our region.

Where the Frederick Pagan Pride Day really shines is in connecting people, though. It’s a great outreach event – Pagan Prides began as a way to combat misinformation and stereotypes about us – and that remains important. But the thing that struck me again and again yesterday was how important a Pagan Pride Day is for drawing the various different paths and solitaries together. It was wonderful seeing conversations blossoming, people making friends, folks connecting with different organizations and resources and otherwise just being SEEN.

I was talking with a friend about the festival this morning, and the phrase “this is medicine right now” came to me.

It’s rough out there. I don’t need to go into all the reasons why. I completely understand why some folks want to just hole up at home and connect to what community they can through their devices. I get it.

But it’s not the same.

These times together are medicine. They remind us, viscerally, that we are not alone. That we are part of a large community full of some of the smartest, funniest, kindest, and wisest beings you could ever wish for. This medicine reminds us that we have a place. We have a people. We have a culture. We have friends.

All the work and planning and sweat and aches are worth it to see us together.

To take this medicine and carry it in my heart.  

As ever, I am so deeply grateful to all the various people who put so much time and effort into Frederick Pagan Pride Day.

First, the event staff! None of us are paid – this is a labor of love, an act of service, and an offering to the community and to the spirits we serve. HAIL THE DO-ERS! Y’all are fucking INCREDIBLE. From offering programming to emptying trash cans to getting vendors settled in and then packed out to answering questions to a very damp, rushed cleanup, our volunteer team ROCKS. A festival of this scale does not happen with a staff of one. I’m lucky enough to drive the bus, but the bus is FULL of a purple-clad squad of some of the best people I have ever known.

Deep gratitude to the Presenters, Ritual Leaders, and Entertainment! A festival is nothing without content and this year offered a great mix of traditions, information, encouragement, music, and connection. Special thanks to Stone Circle Wicca for the Opening Ritual and to The Firefly House for the Main Ritual.  It takes a lot of work to prep an hour-long workshop, provide entertainment, or offer an opportunity for spiritual connection and devotion for a group of mostly unknown people. THANK YOU.  Thank you so much for sharing your spirituality, expertise, guidance, talent, and leadership with us.

Deep gratitude, as well, to our Vendors and Booth sponsors. We know that part of why Frederick Pagan Pride Day is well attended is the shopping! Every year, we strive to offer a dynamic mix of artisans, purveyors of goods, and information booths to our attendees. Our Vendors and Booth Sponsors travel to us, in many cases, from several states away. We are so grateful to all of you for sharing your work with us.

Last but not least, deep gratitude to our spiritual home, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick. Our congregation has been endlessly supportive of us over the last ten festivals. Some of the event volunteers you encountered weren’t even Pagans – they’re UUs who love us enough to want to help us. There are no words for a blessing of that kind.

The Autumnal Equinox is a time of Thanksgiving in many Pagan religions, and yesterday’s gathering reminds me why the timing of Pagan Prides is so appropriate to the season.

We give thanks! We give thanks! We give thanks!

Next year is year ELEVEN. Are you ready? I am.

With love and gratitude,

Irene Glasse

Lead Frederick Pagan Pride Day Coordinator

The tenth Frederick Pagan Pride Day is this Saturday, September 26th, from 10 AM to 6 PM. Download the mobile-friendly program here.

Things to know:

~ Carpool if you can or consider taking a rideshare service to the event. Parking gets tight at the UUCF and the existing parking lot generally fills early. When the parking lot becomes full (and it will), a shuttle service will be running from the Park and Ride located at the intersection of Cap Stine Road and Mount Zion Road (see map). If you have a group traveling together, please drop your folks off at the event site, then park your car and take the shuttle. It makes the shuttle run a lot faster if the only person using the shuttle service is the driver of the car.

~ Admission is a donation to one of three organizations we are supporting this year. You are welcome to bring an item of non-perishable commercially prepared food (no home canned goods, unfortunately) for The Foodbank Program operated by the Frederick Community Action Agency. Frederick Pagan Pride Day is also supporting Frederick County Animal Control. Donations for the Adoption Center can also be given as admission. FCAC is requesting UNOPENED PACKAGES of canned food of any variety, dry food (Iams is preferred, but they will take any sort), bleach, sponges and Dawn dish soap. Other pet supplies are welcome, but must be UNOPENED. Lastly, we are proud to support The Western Maryland Immigrant Rights Collective. WMD-IRC supports families who have lost a loved one to ICE, including families with young children. WMD-IRC is requesting baby food, diapers sizes 5 – 7, and baby wipes.

~ As always, we will be offering a raffle! Raffle tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5, cash ONLY. The raffle drawing is after the main ritual at around 3 PM or so. You do not have to be present to win, but any prizes not collected by Saturday, October 10th, are forfeit.

~ PLEASE APPLY SUNSCREEN AND BUG SPRAY IN THE PARKING LOT. This makes the event safer and more accessible for those with sensitivities to scent.

~ See you tomorrow!

The 10th Frederick Pagan Pride Day is THIS SATURDAY, September 26th, from 10 AM – 6 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick. Here are our suggestions for what to bring:

~ A donation to one of the three charities we’re supporting this year (The Frederick Food Bank, the Frederick Animal Shelter, and the Western Maryland Immigrant Rights Collective).

~ a picnic blanket, camp or other folding chair for attending the workshops and watching performances. Some seating is available but we’re anticipating a large turnout.

~ There will be water filling stations, so a water bottle is also recommended.

~ Cash if you would like to enter the raffle.

~ Spending money for our wonderful vendors.

~ A hand drum or other percussion if you’d like to participate in the drum circle. Some instruments will be available for loan.

~ Sunblock/bug spray/rain gear if you need it.

~ Comfortable shoes!

The 10th Frederick Pagan Pride Day is Saturday, September 26th, from 10 AM – 6 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick. Every year, our festival features a RAFFLE! Community members and our incredible vendors donate wonderful items to support the festival. Remember to bring cash if you would like to enter the raffle ($2 each or 3 for $5). The raffle is CASH ONLY. Winners will be drawn after the main ritual (right around 3 PM). You do not have to be present to win, but you MUST pick up your prize at the UUCF within two weeks of the festival.

Frederick’s tenth Pagan Pride Day is Saturday, September 26th, 2026, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick from 10 AM to 6 PM. People of all ages and spiritual backgrounds are welcome. The event will include information booths, workshops, live music, vendors and other activities celebrating the Autumn Equinox, a time of thanksgiving in many Pagan traditions. Download the mobile-friendly program here.

Admission is a donation to one of three organizations we are supporting this year. You are welcome to bring an item of non-perishable commercially prepared food (no home canned goods, unfortunately) for The Foodbank Program operated by the Frederick Community Action Agency. Frederick Pagan Pride Day is also supporting Frederick County Animal Control. Donations for the Adoption Center can also be given as admission. FCAC is requesting UNOPENED PACKAGES of canned food of any variety, dry food (Iams is preferred, but they will take any sort), bleach, sponges and Dawn dish soap. Other pet supplies are welcome, but must be UNOPENED. Lastly, we are proud to support The Western Maryland Immigrant Rights Collective. WMD-IRC supports families who have lost a loved one to ICE, including families with young children. WMD-IRC is requesting baby food, diapers sizes 5 – 7, and baby wipes.

As always, we will be offering a raffle! Raffle tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5, cash ONLY. The raffle drawing is after the main ritual at around 3 PM or so. You do not have to be present to win, but any prizes not collected by Saturday, October 10th, are forfeit.

The TENTH Frederick Pagan Pride Day is Saturday, September 26th, from 10 AM to 6 PM at 4880 Elmer Derr Road in Frederick, MD. Let’s talk about parking!

Carpool if you can or consider taking a rideshare service to the event. Parking gets tight at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick and the existing parking lot generally fills early. When the parking lot becomes full (and it will), a shuttle service will be running from the Park and Ride located at the intersection of Cap Stine Road and Mount Zion Road (see map). If you have a group traveling together, please drop your folks off at the event site, then park your car and take the shuttle. It makes the shuttle run a lot faster if the only person using the shuttle service is the driver of the car.

Remember to bring your donation for one of the three organizations we are supporting this year.  You are welcome to bring an item of non-perishable commercially prepared food (no home canned goods, unfortunately) for The Foodbank Program operated by the Frederick Community Action Agency.  Frederick Pagan Pride Day is also supporting Frederick County Animal Control.  Donations for the Adoption Center can also be given as admission.  FCAC is requesting UNOPENED PACKAGES of canned food of any variety, dry food (Iams is preferred, but they will take any sort), bleach, sponges and Dawn dish soap.  Other pet supplies are welcome, but must be UNOPENED. Lastly, we are proud to support The Western Maryland Immigrant Rights Collective. WMD-IRC supports families who have lost a loved one to ICE, including families with young children. WMD-IRC is requesting baby food, diapers sizes 5 – 7, and baby wipes.

As always, we will be offering a raffle! Raffle tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5, cash ONLY. The raffle drawing is after the main ritual at around 2:45 PM or so. You do not have to be present to win, but any prizes not collected by Saturday, October 10th, are forfeit.

Frederick’s tenth Pagan Pride Day is slated for Saturday, September 26th, 2026, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick. People of all ages and spiritual backgrounds are welcome. The event will include information booths, workshops, live music, vendors and other activities celebrating the Autumn Equinox, a time of thanksgiving in many Pagan traditions. As always, it takes a village to support any festival. Please help us get the word out!

Download a printable flyer here. Please print out and hang this flyer in your local metaphysical shop, bookstore, co-op, or other super-cool place where people will see it.

Share one of these promotional graphics! The graphics below were created for social media – feel free to download and share them out. Make sure to tell people what you’re most excited about when you post them.

It’s not every day that a Pagan festival turns ten! In honor of our tenth Frederick Pagan Pride Day on Saturday, September 26th, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick, we’ve set up a Threadless shop! Show your Pagan Pride with our logo AND a brand new commemorative Tree of Life design by the talented Layla Waters of Phoenix Engravings!

Tshirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, and more are all available in lots of different colors. Order yours here.