As an online pagan clothing store, we love coming into face to face contact with our customers. Many of you attend festivals year after year, where you catch up with us in person, explore our latest stock and pass the time of day. It's always so good to see you.

Witchfest is organised by the Children of Artemis.  It's one of the biggest events we attend each year. Last year was the first time it took place in  sunny Brighton in East Sussex, the nation's favourite party city with a reputation for great weather, friendly locals, a vibrant LGBT community and more great pubs and nightclubs than you can throw a stick at. And 2016 also saw Witchfest take over the biggest building ever used for a European pagan event. It looks like Witchcraft is becoming more popular than ever.

Here's everything you need to know about Witchfest 2017. Will we see you there?

About Witchfest 2017 – Saturday October 7^th 

Witchfest is the biggest Witchcraft festival on the planet, a huge event that draws witches and people with an interest in witchcraft from every corner of the world. This year, for the second year running, it takes place at the Brighton Centre, on the seafront near the magnificent i360 with its magnificent 360 degree views of the sea, countryside, city and South Downs.

As usual, Witchfest is packed with excitement, including six presentations per hour covering every subject you can possible imagine about Witchcraft, Wiccan, Pagan, Occult and Mythological subjects, everything from the finest in Pagan-inspired fiction to Aleister Crowley, master of darkness. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. There's also brilliant live bands, DJs, drummers, workshops, and some of the world's best-respected Witchcraft and Wiccan experts will be there.

About Brighton – A city where anything goes

Brighton is the perfect venue for Witchfest. It's a famously free and easy city where you can wear anything you like and people will appreciate your efforts, enjoying your creativity and spirit. The seafront is beautiful, lined with white Regency buildings and featuring a magnificent Victorian promenade. Brighton Pavilion is extraordinary, set back from the seafront opposite the main pier, a royal palace so grand, outrageous and richly decorated that it takes your breath away, from the outside looking like a mini-Taj Mahal and lit up with colourful LEDs at night.

Brighton is fortunate to have a Green Party council, and it's a famously 'right on' place. The city centre is stuffed with excellent restaurants and bars. If you fancy heading off the beaten track you can avoid the mainstream party street, West Street, and go inland to discover lots of tiny, trendy pubs and bars full of friendly locals.

The Hanover region is wonderful, with its rows and rows of steep, vividly-painted terraced houses, as is the North Laine, once a series of ancient market gardens but now a network of small streets full of independent shops, vintage outlets, funky cafes and lovely pubs. The Lanes is famous for its jewellery shops, a really  interesting area to explore just off the seafront.

Good food is easy to come by in Brighton, with loads of really good restaurants serving food from every continent: Japanese and Chinese, Thai, African, Lebanese, you name it. If the countryside dings your bell, the South Downs are just gorgeous and only a short bus ride away, as are the awesome Seven Sisters, dizzyingly high white chalk cliffs en route to Eastbourne, accessible in just half an hour on the 12a bus from the city centre. 

The Witchfest venue

The venue, Brighton Centre, is easy to get to by car or public transport, just five minutes' walk from Brighton Station, which is on the main line from several central London rail terminals. There's a huge car park nearby and more in the city, although parking isn't cheap – public transport and park 'n' ride are encouraged throughout the city thanks to its Green Party council. On the other hand the venue has an agreement with the Regency Square Car Park, offering a discount for Witchfest attendees for 24 hour parking. All you do is f bring your parking ticket and validate it at the venue to claim your discount.

Brighton parties all year round, and has some great hotels, everything from cheap and cheerful to the ultimate in luxury and small, funky boutique hotels with themed rooms. It makes sense to book early, since the city is always buzzing with visitors. The festival organisers have arranged a special hotel booking website via the Visit Brighton Board, available soon on the Witchfest.net website.  http://witchfest.net/events/witchfest-international/

Will you be there? If so, pop over to our stall and say hi – it'll be great to see you!