Koliada Szczodre Gody

Winter Solstice: The shortest day of the year and the longest, darkest night; a landmark signalling the return to the light and lengthening days.
The Canberra Burners Solstice event returns this June 23rd-25th to again welcome the rebirth of light, the distant coming of Spring, and the promise of new Life. We defy winter by fighting the cold with fire and the warmth of human companionship, camping together, and contributing our gifts of food, drink, art or presence to co-create a collaborative burner space.
This year, we combine this ancient solstice ritual with the folklore and mythology of the ancient Slavic ritual of Koliada Szczodre Gody, rooted in pagan traditions this festival is celebrated to mark the Winter Solstice a time of community and celebration honouring the triumph or light over darkness. During Koliada Szczodre Gody, people gather together in their communities to participate in a variety of rituals and festivities including singing, dancing and revelling in masks and costumes. Participants traditionally dress up in elaborate outfits based on mythical characters. Some traditional characters may include the Winter Witch, the Bear, the Lord of the Forest or various animals.
Food also plays an important role in this celebration with a great feast being shared between participants to celebrate the power of connection and community and honour the long history of winter solstice culture together.
Similarly, the Canberra burners gather together to celebrate the positive symbolism of new beginnings, heat the winter night, dance, play and ignite new energy through communal effort and self-expression. The event is a carnival of love, art, and connection, bringing to life the forest playground in which it takes place. Canberra Burner’s Winter Solstice is an annual Burning Man Canberra fundraiser based on the 10 principles that form the ethos of Burning Man Culture.
https://burningman.org/about/10-principles/ 

The Capital Incendiary Authority’s Winter Solstice event: ‘Koliada Szczodre Gody’ will be nourishment for the soul, an opportunity to chase away the old and celebrate positive symbolism of a new beginning and celebrate the communal spirit, a salve for the intellect, and an allegory for the connection between the changing seasons, human culture and our connection to the environment we live in.
Festivities are part pagan solstice ritual, part high-tech artistic playground, and a complete feast for the spirit. The intent is to spark the fire in your soul and to bring warmth through the coldest months. Dancing and revelry flow into the wee hours, and all Participants are to spend the night and stay for the duration of the event once they arrive (except for emergencies or by prior arrangement). We seek to engage and celebrate the maker, artist, dancer, and misfit inside all of us. The Gifting bar shall quench thirst and the kitchen is taking offerings to fuel adventure.
Fundamental to the spirit of a Burn is that YOU make it happen and WE co-create it together. We are the energy and heat of the night together. We warm the mind, body and spirit. We celebrate and fan the flames smoldering within us all.

ART – THE LIFEBLOOD OF A BURN
One of many things that makes a Burn unique: EVERYTHING is art! Not fine art like your grandma goes to the museum for, but interactive, nonsensical, creative beauty. This can take the form of outlandish outfits, performances, character role-playing, and sculptural structures – there is no limit. Click the link below for applications for art projects.
Link for Art Application

TUNES
Music is provided by the stellar human beings of the Alien Welcoming Committee, and the many talented performers from within your Australian Burner community with live acts and DJ goodness throughout the day and night. We would also love for anyone wanting to do comedy, poetry and live artistry or performance art to get involved. There is no barrier to your participation. If you fit into any of the options above and would like to perform, fill out the application in the link below.
Link for Artist/Musician/Performer Application

GIFTING BAR AND KITCHEN
Gifting is a fundamental part of a Burn, and contributes greatly to the magical atmosphere. The realization that the drink in your hand – and the resultant smile on your face – was given to you by someone you don’t even know is a profound one.
DRINKS – we suggest that you:
– Bring a carton (cans preferred as they can be crumpled down for disposal (less space)) or a bottle to donate to the gifting bar and be shared among fellow Participants.
– BYO cup – prepare so you can share, recycle to show you care.
MEALS – new and improved for 2023, contact our kitchen crew. if you would like to contribute to the gifting kitchen with supplies, your Participatory efforts, or both.

We’ll have a bain marie, gas cookers, prep area and a selection of pots and pans. There’s a few camp ovens and small cast iron frying pans for fireside cooking.

So we can make sure we make the most of those nourishing gifts and so we can get your pre-prepared delicacies served up, and cleared away after, we need hands and an idea of what you wish to contribute either in your labours or food. The kitchen spreadsheet is below

Link to Kitchen spreadsheet

CREW, CREW…we need you!
Gate, Greeters, DPI (includes Pack up/Pack down), Decor/artist helpers and Kitchen.
Link for Crewing

CAMPING IS REQUIRED/ENCOURAGED!
Dance into the wee hours with us…
This is a lock-in event, so no pass-outs will be available except in the case of an emergency or unless by prior arrangement. NO GATE SALES-NEIN!! NO PASS-OUTS!!
No pets and Solstice is an 18+ event.
We all pay, we all play event.
Gates open at Noon Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th then close later that evening at 6pm LOCK-OUT/ LOCK-IN (unless by prior arrangement). This means gates do not open again till after we finish pack down at 12pm Sunday 25th.
COVID-19
It is our civic responsibility to keep our community and fellow participants safe!
• Current ACT Public Heath Orders are in place at event.
• Wash hands and sanitise regularly, good hygiene is everyone’s reasonability
• BE Covid Safe / Responsible – Physical distancing, don’t share drinks and cutlery. Be aware of your health status. Wash your hands or use sanitizer regularly!
LEAVE NO TRACE EVENT – Please take out everything [rubbish] that you bring in with you.

For latest info go to Koliada Szczodre Gody Facebook Page

BURN BRIGHT!!

We acknowledge the Ngambri and Ngunnawal peoples – the Traditional Custodians of the land, waters and territories on which we will gather – and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty of this territory has never been ceded. It always was and always will be, Aboriginal land. We extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across this land, as well as the merit and contributions of First Nations people everywhere.