At Castlefest you will find all sorts of beautiful creatures. Pirates, vikings, Disney princesses and wizards: every creature you can think of and more: they are all there. Between those magical souls that move around the festival grounds, you will also notice some creatures standing still. They don't move, but they have been familiar faces at Castlefest for many years. You will recognize them from afar and they will give you a friendly welcome year after year. The coming time we will introduce you to the unique statues of Castlefest in our Vana Grimoire blog.
The Sun God
He is waiting for you at his regular spot near the castle. He radiates peace and it seems as if he has been standing there for centuries. He belongs there. He is tall and has a fierce appearance. His name? Lugh. Lugh is the Irish sun god and associated with the Celtic annual festival Lughnasadh, the first harvest festival. That you will encounter Lugh at Castlefest is not so surprising. Castlefest takes place every year during the first weekend of August. This was deliberately chosen because this is the time of Lughnasadh. The start of harvest means that it is still warm and sunny, but the end of summer is gradually setting in. The light shines, but slowly diminishes. The Celts embrace the change in seasons and so do we at Castlefest. With the Wicker Ritual, we reflect on this cycle and are focussing on growth, flourishing and letting go.
Martin's Magic
Lugh was created by Martin Jansen. Martin was the spiritual father of Twoia, among others, and was behind many important elements that characterize our Vana events. Together with his sister Irma, he shaped these creatures. Martin traded our world for the next in 2015. As a result, we are very glad that Martin and his magic through Twoia and Lugh are still present at Castlefest. Everything Martin and Irma created revolved around wonder, beauty and respect, the way they also live life. They started from the idea that there is more if you just look and feel. They defined that as 'the stuff'. Because 'the stuff' has no form, they gave form to this very thing. As Irma says about this: "I have the impression that the feeling we used when creating things comes across to the audience. That's beautiful." We feel the same way, because Lugh is such a familiar face for everyone. Without him, Castlefest doesn't feel complete.
The signpost
You will find Lugh at his regular spot near the castle. He stands at the intersection of the path that leads past the castle toward the Meadow Fields and Woodland Village, and the road around the Castle Domains. With that, he is basically always at the center of the festival. But he hasn't always stood there. In the early years, Lugh greeted you at the entrance, at the old spot where you now find Museum LAM. Lugh held his signature spear, but this too has looked different at times. His spear was a bit longer and acted as one of the signposts. This is how Lugh showed you the way across the grounds.
At the moment his spear is slightly shorter and he is the peaceful and recognizable presence near the castle. Although he no longer leads the way directly, a he still forms a piece of recognizability. It's his home, just as we experience Castlefest as home. Lugh is a regular sight, just like you and us. Come visit Lugh when you are at Castlefest again and be amazed up close by his magic and power. You will find that Lugh inspires you and shows you the way to the magic and power within yourself.
