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. In the coming time we will introduce you to the unique statues of Castlefest in our Vana Grimoire blog.
You may have noticed it at Castlefest 2025. A new presence suddenly appeared near the castle. Her name is Zahara and since the latest edition she has become part of Castlefest’s beautiful statue collection, alongside Lugh and Twoia. Zahara may be new, but she fits Castlefest and everything the festival stands for perfectly.
Zahara was created by Jopie, who has been part of our Deco Team as a volunteer for many years. Even before Jopie joined as a volunteer, they never missed a single edition. In fact, Jopie has experienced Castlefest in almost every possible way. As a visitor, an exhibitor, a performer and a volunteer. Castlefest feels like coming home and it is even the place where Jopie and their partner Maarten had their handfasting ceremony. For Jopie this means Castlefest doubles as their anniversary every year. Maarten is also a volunteer in Team Deco. Together with the rest of the team they make sure the festival grounds are beautifully decorated. Every year they come up with new creative pieces. Several signposts are made by Jopie and they also contributed to the large photo board with the seven figures near the castle.
Maintaining existing decorations is also part of the work and it was actually the first step towards Zahara. The statue Twoia, created by Martin Jansen, needed some love after many years at Castlefest. Jopie took on the task of repairing the damage and giving her a fresh coat of paint so that Twoia can shine for many more years. The restoration turned out beautifully and since no new statues had been made in years, Jopie thought it would be a good idea to create a new piece for the twentieth anniversary of Castlefest. A significant challenge and something they had never done before but as Jopie thought: “I have never done it before so I think I can.” They are very happy that Vana trusted them and gave them the chance.
With the new statue Jopie wanted to honour the diversity of all visitors. Just like many visitors, Castlefest feels like coming home for Jopie. It is a place full of love and acceptance where you can be who you want to be and Zahara reflects that spirit. With the exception of Twoia the other statues at Castlefest are male, so Zahara is a woman. The statues are also white which made it important for Jopie to add a statue of colour. At the same time Zahara represents the queer community. In a time when these communities can face difficulties in society, Zahara expresses that they are truly welcome at Castlefest. Zahara has slimmer hips and a subtle Adam’s apple. Her tattoos and beadwork include symbols that reference the trans community so that both cis and trans women can recognise themselves in her.
The statue also contains symbolism connected to Lughnasadh, the harvest festival that always takes place around Castlefest. One of the most striking elements is the cornucopia which symbolises the abundance of friendship and connection at the festival. The fruits and flowers such as sunflowers match the season. The fruits were sculpted so realistically that during Castlefest a small child tried to take a bite out of one of the mandarins.
Zahara is also an ode to the beautifully dressed visitors who return to Castlefest year after year. Where Twoia, Lugh and the Oak and Holly Kings are dressed according to their nature, Zahara could easily pass as a visitor with her stunning dress and accessories. As Jopie says: “Zahara has more glam and glitter.”
The name Zahara was chosen after much consideration. It carries beautiful meanings in multiple languages that suit the symbolism of the piece. In Swahili it means flower. In Hebrew and Arabic it stands for radiant and there is also a link to the Sahara desert through the word sahar which is related to the Persian word for dawn.
Coming full circle with Zahara
Jopie has been part of Team Deco for ten years despite being chronically ill. Creating a statue like Zahara is intense work and completing it took seven months. Physically that was not always easy. Over the years Jopie has not always been able to express their creative talents due to the pain that comes with illness. It was therefore a challenging process during which Jopie searched for and pushed beyond their own creative limits. Giving yourself a new standard for dreams that once seemed impossible. The fact that Zahara now exists after months of work is something Jopie is deeply proud of. Proud of the result and proud because it feels like a positive conclusion to a medical journey.
This became clear during the 2025 Wicker Ritual. For Jopie Castlefest is not only coming home but also similar to New Year’s Eve. A moment to reflect on the past year and to make plans for the next. During Castlefest 2025 Jopie offered the brushes used for Zahara to the Wicker. A beautiful way to complete the entire process.
We are incredibly happy to welcome Zahara into our Castlefest family. Have you admired her yet?
Header photo by Ork Fotografie.
Photo of Jopie and Zahara by Hans Glaudemans Fotografie.
Last photo by Anouk Pross.
