N.S. Pagans bringing music, witchy costumes, and 'good energy' to Dartmouth with Oct. 30 Witches Ball

Witches, monsters and the mysteriously inclined are preparing to take over downtown Dartmouth as the Halifax Witches Ball brings the Pagan community (and communities of all types) together.

The annual event returns to the Sanctuary Arts Centre on Ochterloney Street on Friday, Oct. 30, offering an evening of music, dancing and performance leading up to Halloween.

This year’s theme is “unwanted creatures.” Monsters, some would call them, but this has a much more gentle tone.

Whether attendees arrive dressed as witches, creatures of the night or something entirely their own, the Witches Ball offers a place to celebrate Halloween with like-minded people wanting the same thing, to have fun.

For hrel Brian Larter, chair of the Pagan Assembly of Nova Scotia, the event is about more than costumes and Halloween festivities. It is also an opportunity to bring people together and support a community that has helped sustain the gathering for nearly three decades.

“The Halifax Witches’ Ball is in its 30th year,” Larter said in an interview ahead of the milestone anniversary, describing an event that has evolved considerably since its beginnings.

Originally organized by members of the Pagan community as a fundraiser for CKDU community radio, the ball helped support two Pagan radio programs that aired on Friday nights.

When the CKDU programming ended, the ball continued.

The event has occupied several venues over the years, including Halifax’s the Khyber and Dalhousie University’s Grad House. The Pagan Assembly of Nova Scotia took over its organization about six years ago. After several years at the Halifax Forum, the group has moved the gathering to Dartmouth.

The event has found a home at the Sanctuary Arts Centre, a downtown Dartmouth venue that provides space for performers and attendees to celebrate together.

This year’s ball is scheduled from 7 p.m. until midnight. The 19-plus event has a lineup including burlesque performers Cherry Coax and Scarlett Rose, as well as DJs Lady Oracle, Reaktor and more.

Attendees can have their palms read or see what the tarot has to say.

The event welcomes witches, Pagans and anyone interested in a night of music, costumes and community.

Larter said the ball has historically attracted a wide range of people, from college students to older members of the Pagan community, even into their 80s.

In his experience, that diversity is part of what makes the gathering special – a social setting where people from different backgrounds can meet, celebrate and express themselves.

But the assembly’s work extends beyond one night of festivities.

The Pagan Assembly of Nova Scotia is a community organization that brings people together through gatherings, festivals and other events.

For some, those traditions involve nature-based spirituality, seasonal celebrations or the worship of deities. Others follow different paths or practice independently.

Larter is also involved in several other Pagan gatherings throughout the year, including the Avalon East Pagan Gathering, a family-friendly camping event held in August, and the Oberon Autumn Nightly Gathering, which celebrates the masculine in September.

Another annual festival, Maid of Mother Crone, celebrates the feminine.

The events are part of a wider effort by the Pagan Assembly to maintain a sense of community and ensure opportunities remain available for future generations.

Larter said organizers create a manual for each event so that others can take over the planning when the current organizers eventually step aside.

The goal is to make sure the events can continue without depending on one person to keep everything running.

“We’ve got it down to a science at this point,” he said.

For Larter, organizing the Witches Ball is a major undertaking, but one he looks forward to each year.

And as the event reaches its 30th anniversary, its continued presence in the community offers a reminder that traditions can change while still bringing people together.

Tickets for the Witches Ball are $44.32 and can be purchased on Eventbrite. Part of the proceeds from the Witches Ball will support the Rivergrove Campground in Great Village, Nova Scotia.

Larter describes the campground as a community-owned space intended to make camping and outdoor gatherings more accessible. The campground hosts Pagan festivals and other community events, including gatherings organized by the Society for Creative Anachronism.