Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What kind of festival is Beltania?
  2. What are the registration deadlines and ticket prices?
  3. What should I bring to Beltania?
  4. What about the weather? What temps are normal for the festival location this time of year?
  5. What are the different places to camp?
  6. What’s the policy on alcohol and tobacco?
  7. Is this a kid-friendly event?
  8. Are pets allowed?
  9. What’s this I hear about workshifts?
  10. What’s the restroom situation (exactly how primitive is the camping)?
  11. Noise restrictions?
  12. Fire restrictions?
  13. Refund policy?
  14. Are there special camping areas for RV's or those who need handicapped parking?
  15. Are there hotels in the area?
  16. How do the meal tickets work?
  17. Other Important Info

1. What kind of festival is Beltania?

Beltane is an ancient Celtic fire festival celebrating the bright half of the year. Traditionally, the Balefire is lit to signal the return of the sun’s strength, and people dance around the maypole which symbolizes fertility. There’s a lot more to the history, lore, activities, and symbology of Beltane, but suffice to say Beltania is not designed to reenact or recreate ancient Pagan ways. Rather, it’s a modern celebration and interpretation of this May Day tradition.

Beltania is a four-day camping and music festival, and will be filled with workshops, activities, and ritual. Beltania 2009 had seven concert performers including Lunar Fire from Boulder and we plan on Beltania 2010 being similarly filled with a variety of amazing music.

The organizers of the festival are Neo-Pagan and therefore the ritual elements, workshops, and general theme are Pagan-oriented. However, with the wide appeal of many of the musical performers and the broad appeal of many of our activities such as drum circles and workshops, we expect attendance from many who follow an Earth-centered, Goddess-centered, metaphysical, or alternative/individualistic spiritual path who might not label themselves as Pagan.

Most importantly, the organizers hope to create community, celebration, and deep spiritual connection with each other, with the Earth, and with the Divine as we each desire.

2. What are the registration deadlines and ticket prices?

Please see our fees page for a chart and explanation of our deadlines and prices.

Only registered, prepaid ticket holders are allowed into Beltania. There will be NO at the door ticket sales. If you are arriving with unregistered guests who do NOT have a ticket, they will NOT be admitted. If you need to transfer a ticket to someone else, only the person who registered using the online registration form, to whom the original Registration Confirmation email was sent, may initiate a ticket transfer. Ticket transfers MUST be requested by EMAIL ONLY to beltania@beltania.org BY APRIL 30, 2010, and the email request MUST come from an email address already in our system used during registration.

3. What should I bring to Beltania?

Potable Water – a gallon per day per person is the usual recommendation

Folding chairs for your campsite or for watching the concerts (blankets will also work)

Your own camping equipment, tent, and supplies

Snacks and meals, unless you choose to purchase your meals. We will have food vendors in our Merchant's Row.

Firewood for campfires

Drums and other musical instruments

Weather-appropriate clothing and shoes (rain? snow? sun?)

Lanterns/flashlights for evening use

Your own magical / ritual items, a journal, or sketchbook if desired

Money if you wish to purchase food or items from our fantastic merchants (many are cash only)

Family and friends!

4. What about the weather? What temps are normal for the festival location this time of year?

Since the altitude is about 6700 ft. , it’s not going to be as cold as if it were in the mountains. Average nighttime low for the dates of Beltania is in the 40’s, and daytime highs are around 70 degrees.

5. What are the different places to camp?

More information about this will be coming soon!

6. What’s the policy on alcohol and tobacco?

Alcohol will not be sold on-site, but may be brought. No alcohol in community space or at rituals; we ask that alcohol be consumed at your private campsite.

Please be respectful when smoking in communal areas and extinguish/dispose of properly. Mother Earth doesn’t want your butts all over her! We recommend bringing an empty film canister to use as your portable ashtray. And remember, cigarettes can start wildfires!

Please respect all local, state, and federal laws and we ask that you behave responsibly and respect others. We will have wristbands for those 18 and over.

7. Is this a kid-friendly event?

Yes! We will have several children’s activities including a children’s ritual, a kid’s activity tent, and more. Kids will love the maypole dance!

Keep in mind, though, that it is an outdoor event and you may need to bundle up. Also, we are not providing any child care of any kind. The music concerts last ate into the night Friday and Saturday and music will be audible throughout the festival.

We do not impose any curfew or restrictions on children except to say that parents should always accompany their children and are responsible for their behavior and safety.

8. Are pets allowed?

No. Exceptions only for service animals. We do not want barking animals during the concert, and just aren’t willing to take on the liability and potential cleaning issues.

Service Animals. Service animals are allowed at Retreat. Service animal means any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items. Beltania does require official certification of the service animal, to be provided to the volunteer coordinator before the festival. Beltania holds the owner responsible for any injuries or damages caused by the animal. Beltania is also a music festival, as such, barking will not be tolerated. Directors or Beltania Staff may assess such damages, as necessary, and may remove the animal, and its owner, from retreat if the animal's behavior poses a threat to anyone’s health, safety, or enjoyment of the Retreat. Any questions you can contact the volunteer coordinator.

9. What’s this I hear about workshifts?

We will no longer require 2-hour workshifts of our attendees. We are anticipate having a dedicated crew of volunteer staff members, so the few workshifts we will need help with will be filled on a voluntary basis by those who would like to help for a couple hours.

10. What’s the restroom situation (exactly how primitive is the camping)?

We will have port-a-johns and wash stations available for your convenience.

11. Noise restrictions?

No restrictions on noise in the Wild Meadow. We ask in the quieter camping areas that activities simmer down in the evening, and that quiet time in the general camping area starts when the concerts are over. Want to drum all night and get loud and crazy? Take it to the Wild Meadow where you can express yourself to your heart’s content 24 hours a day.

12. Fire restrictions?

Please use existing fire rings only if building a campfire and extinguish with sand or water if you plan to leave it unattended for any time period.

13. Refund policy?

All purchases are non-refundable. Tickets may be transferred to another person if a request is approved by April 30, 2010. Any requests to transfer tickets should be emailed to beltania@beltania.org prior to April 30, 2010.

14. Are there special camping areas for RV's or those who need handicapped parking?

There are three areas suitable for RV's. At the entrance to the Wild Meadow (which is a separate field to the south and uphill of the main area, at the back of the park) is probably the flattest and most accessible area. Cars will also be parking in this area but I am hoping to keep them separated. Second, is a pretty large and flat area in the northern area of the main campground, adjacent to the main parking area, closest to the entrance to the park. This one has the best views and the most space. Third, is in the Reserved Camping Area. It's an area that will be roped off, and is a special-request area for those with small children, who would like handicapped-accessible camping and parking, or who have any mobility impairment issues. That area is in the middle of everything, semicircular surrounded by trees and bushes, and open on the one side to the community center, stage, food, and is adjacent to the merchant's village and info booth.

We are not reserving any specific RV spots since they are first come first served (except for the Reserved Camping Area of course). There are no hookups. There is a public dump station at the gas station at Hwy 50 and Hwy 115. Contact Beltania@beltania.org if you'd like a spot in the Reserved Camping Area. As of 4/21/10, we have only five RV spaces left! (Please see the map.)

15. Are there any hotels in the area?

For those who wish to attend Beltania but would like an alternative to camping, there is the option of hotel lodging. The closest hotel to Florence Mountain Park is the Super 8 in Florence, CO. It is about 10 miles and 15 minutes away. We have arranged for a discounted rate for all Beltania guests, just mention when you make your reservation that you are with Beltania and call them directly to reserve your room.

4540 State Highway 120
Florence, CO 81226
(719) 784-4800
Get directions

Other hotels which are in the Canon City areas, about a half hour from the festival:

American Inn 719-269-1158
Colorado Inn 719-275-9601
Comfort Inn 719-276-6900
Parkview Motel 719-275-0624
Royal Gorge Best Western 719-275-3377
Travel Inn 719-275-9125

16. How do the Meal Tickets work?

Those who have pre-purchased meal tickets and t-shirts may pick them up at the Information Booth at any time when the booth is open . If you are with a group that registered together, please note that only the person who did the online registration form may pick up the meal tickets and t-shirts. That person must be the one to distribute them to the group or family. If the person who did the registration is not attending the festival, we will give all the items to one attendee from that party with the same registration number, as long as they can provide the name of the person who registered them.

Lost meal tickets will not be replaced. Please treat them like cash.

Meal tickets will not be sold during the festival, and are only available during the pre-registration period. If you'd like to prepurchase more meal tickets, you certainly can do so by using the online registration form again, and just get meal tickets without getting any more admission tickets. Right now the meal ticket price is $6 each and they are available until April 30. Meal tickets are valid only for Breakfast (served 8am-11am) and Dinner (5pm-8pm).

You can still purchase food at the festival if you do not have meal tickets. You just pay cash to the food vendor directly. The meal tickets are basically a discount program for advance purchase only. If you'd like to purchase a breakfast or dinner with cash instead of a meal ticket, it will be approximately $7 cash. Lunches, snacks, additional beverages, etc will also be available for cash purchase, and meal tickets can't be used for those since they are a la carte instead of a whole meal.

If you choose not to purchase food, you may bring your own food and cooking supplies if you wish. As stated in the Items to Bring section, Charcoal grills are discouraged and you must get a permit from the Info Booth to use one, $5 fee applies. Propane stoves and grills are preferred and no permit is necessary. See our Fires Policy for more information. Ice will be available for sale from one of our food vendors.

17. Other Important Info:

We’ll post info here as it becomes available.