Bowen’s first Green Man Festival will welcome summer to the island with a Maypole dance on Saturday May 17, assuming the Green Man, (aided by his band of small but courageous buds) can defeat the mean Ice Queen (aided by her band of small but courageous icicles) in an epic struggle in front of the castle, er, library. There’ll be face-painting and green and white coronets for the small buds and icicles, Morris dancing, music and also a hearty lunch of soup and stew.
The focal point of the day is the symbolic battle between summer and winter. We will need help from the people of Bowen Island to make this come alive in sight and sound. Each side has children cheering it on; the Queen has little “icicles”: we encourage some kids to come in white icy costumes (a perfect time to pull out a fairy or white princess costume from the closet.) The Green Man, of course, has his supporters too, (the little buds) and we hope that some kids will come in green to fight on the side of the Green Man. After the “battle,” the children will follow the May Queen to the May Pole, and she will lead them in a dance with ribbons around the pole. Then, there will be dancing by the Black Sheep and a chance for a peasant medieval meal and much wonderful music.
Bowen Island’s first ever Green Man Festival has been months in the planning. It is our chance to join an ancient tradition going back into the pre-Christian history of Great Britain. We are grateful to the folks who have boldly decided to stand beside us in bringing this wonderful, ancient celebration to our island!
Never heard of the Green Man before? Come out and be enchanted as you learn! The Library will have a display for your enjoyment, using Shane Tweten’s mask as the centerpiece. The Green Man is typically portrayed as a human face surrounded by dense foliage. Such images appear as far back as the eleventh century, in church carvings. As Christianity spread, the Green Man went into hiding, with stonemasons leaving secret images of his face around cathedrals and churches. He enjoyed a revival during the Victorian era, when he became popular with architects, who used his visage as a decorative aspect in buildings. He’s back in dozens of festivals all over the Celtic world. They are growing larger every year. We hope that our Bowen Green Man Festival will also catch on and grow!
Costumes of a medieval flavour are encouraged. There will be face painting for the kids starting at 11:30 outside Tuscany restaurant.
Shirley Wrinch has outfitted our cast this year: Graham Ritchie playsthe Green Man; Tina Nielsen will be The Frost Queen; Bev Rapley will be The May Queen; and Murray Atherton will be the Town Crier. The meal is a scaled down version of a Medieval Moveable Feast using locally produced food. Our sponsors are wonderful and we are so grateful to their support and generosity: The Undercurrent, the First Credit Union, the Community School Association, the Bowen Island Library, Artisan Office Services, the Snug Café and Rotary Stage, Vine and Garden Catering, the Black Sheep Morris Dancers, the Little Red Church, Home Farm Gardens Ltd, Tuscany Restaurant, and Greenscape Enterprises.
Thanks also to our fabulous planning team: Susanna Braund, Doug Stepple, Helen Wallwork, Sarah Haxby, Carol MacKinnon, Rosie Montgomery, Graham Ritchie and Shelagh MacKinnon.
