IgNight Fire Festival: Tending to the Embers

Recently, a gathering of kind humans took to the blistering, high desert to gather for a flowtastic conference of fire and fun, a smoldering pow-wow deep in the howling wilderness where kindred spirits can unite beneath a godless sun.

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The second annual IgNight Fire Flow Conference summoned the fire-wielding forces from afar to offer a sanctuary of sorts, a place free from hissed whispers and prickly laughs. A place where one can safely grow at the edges.

Photo Credit: kondophotography.com

Out there in the dead heat of summer, only the boldest of ardent explorers convene to seek inspiration and to pore over the teeming schedule of classes. 

The three day affair commenced with a opening ceremony of the fire community's finest gifting us with a performance fitting for those who favor the flare and flames.

Photo Credit: kondophotography.com

Local artists clad in fireproof corporate suits, and wielding flaming portfolios and saddlebags, took to fabricating a bit of mockery to the demanding lifestyles expected of the masses in this day and time. 

Here, the Macbook carrying and iPod toting members of UniFier Collektive and Fire Groove set out to grapple the daily grind of modern day living. 

Photo Credit: kondophotography.com

To escape the hustley-bustley ways of industrial living, these kindled artists paid proper allegiance to the age of innocence with tales of misspent youth. Only these were no ordinary tales, these were childhood fables set ablaze.

Photo Credit: kondophotography.com

The Little Mermaid™

A ginger-haired, siren maiden of the fiery sea served to remind us the lesson of following your dreams by breaking boundaries, even if they're flaming boundaries.

Photo Credit: kondophotography.com

Aladdin™

A whole new burn atop a magical, flying fire carpet! Lore has it that the cinder tapestry was swindled shortly after the weekend. Make certain to check the skies above for a burning, intricate, runaway rug.

Photo Credit: kondophotography.com

Little Red Riding Hood™

Seems our red-caped, fire-eater is "everything that a big, bad wolf could want".

Photo Credit: kondophotography.com

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves™

Getting their Hi-ho on while the bass drops.

Photo Credit: kondophotography.com

Beauty and the Beast™

Here Lumière, the French candlestick, with his fine collection of dancing bone china and household servants 'lit' up the stage welcoming all to "Be their Guest" just moments before the floor opened up to freestyle fire spinning.

Photo Credit: kondophotography.com

The warmest of welcomes indeed.

Photo Credit: kondophotography.com

As the night fell, a wild rumpus unfolded onto the fire playground.

Photo Credit: kondophotography.com

Swarms of red-nosed spinners danced together with flames and smoke as fiercely talented DJ's kept the night jumping.

Photo Credit: kondophotography.com

It's not everyday that one can rollick beneath the skies and fire clouds above,

Photo Credit: kondophotography.com

...and learn the sort of things that only a Djedi knows.

Having lost all my spider senses, I succumbed to the heat-sinking missile, but fortunately there were good humans and curdled reinforcements back at the camp. Yes, eleven rockstar, milk goods made the sweltering journey just to be a part of a cheese bar for our leading night.

By daylight, the eventgoers traipsed about the steamy grounds to attend yoga, flow, and a grand assortment of sensational, inspirational classes.

The fiercely talented Anna Maltese, a real sharp, street-howitzer, archer taught us the tricks of flame throwing, via bow and arrow.

There was an endless sea of white gas to meet the needs of the ambitious fire masses.

...and birthdays were properly celebrated.

The sweltering star in the sky above eventually set behind the mountaintops. As the black of night fell, the evenings were blanketed with the glow that only the heart-happy know.

A handful of clever lads and lasses even harnessed the stirring energy of that giant star to illuminate their solar-powered campsites beneath the Milky Way and the Andromeda skies above.

Photo Credit: kondophotography.com

A beautiful, heart-stirring event amongst beautiful people. 

Oh thank you IgNight, you'll never now how much you feed my hungry, burning heart.

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For unto the aliens, ninjas, and cowboys, a fire breathing babe was born

I invite you to please read the following in your finest Spaghetti western voice

The West is alive and well,
even today.

 

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 And while living beneath the open blue sky can certainly have its hardships for us here down on the Western frontier, we've gots us a mighty fine troop of fellow comrades on this here fire-spinning ranch.

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We've the kind of team that work and sweat together by the light of day, and feign sleep by night to ensure a smashing-good performance for the good showgoers and onlookers.

Together in cahoots, we charmed up a twisty-tale of adventure, mystery, love, and some good old slapstick funnies. All to ensure an epic storyline for the rousing crowds that we gave a lick and a promise to this year.

Then we took that faithful journey, the kind of journey where you don't exactly know if everyone will make it home in one piece. 

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Yes, that sojourn was made way back in August, all the long while to the Burning Man Festival for we had some big nuts to crack.

Yessir, my fellow brothers and sisters set forth to burn the breeze and deliver one helluva fine show to those nice citizens of Black Rock City, the namesake for the fleeting city admist the normally desolate region.

We've a fine story to tell.

A tale of plot and characters like rowdy, ruthless, goodfernuthin' cowboys about as crooked as a Virginia fence, playing both sides of the law for riches and a fist full of dollars.

A fable of fearless ninjas hard pushed enough to let nuthin' come between their undeniable love,

and a memoir of hell-fired, noble aliens in a relentless and untamed search for justice by good rights.

 

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And so the story goes, that late one Saturday eve just before the sun slanted down in the West, us ash-hoppers gathered to show those nice folks how a fire-breathing lovechild, born out of true, unrestricted love, and free from hate, was brought unto this here world.

Yes folks, once upon a time, when the air was thick with mesquite and dust storms, on a night that can only be wrapped up in one which-i-ma-call-it... declarative sentence.

Gawddamn!

Many thanks to my fine as cream gravy, fellow teammates and conclave staff, and 'specially to our fearless leader, the "Jenneral" for making sure that no one ever hung up their fiddle, and fer getting us to the flinders of that there playa.
 
 Ladies and gents, courtesy of Kp Wedman at Black Rock City, Nevada, I give you your 2012 San Diego Fire Conclave performance.

x
           

IgNight Fire Festival

So long folks!

I'm outta here, yes ladies and gents I'm skipping town, skeedaddling my booty, blowing the hell out of dodge, and schlepping off far and away to the desert parts of the world. 

Photo credit: fineartphotoblog

Well, it's not too terribly far away from home, 

it is away nonetheless, and a much needed break from the rushiness of daily routine.

Today, we set sail to Joshua Tree National Park for a spanking, fire festival of epic proportions.

Photo credit: ignightfestival.com

 That's right boys and girls, IgNight is a bona fide fire festival for us fire freaks here in the Southern California part of the world, it's completely sold out, and my head is about to explode into bits of excitement smithereens from the anticipation of it all.

Just me, and 499 of my closest, fire-twirling, spintastic, friends, are set to gather in the desert for the three day spectacular event.

Photo credit: ignightfestival.com

Fire spinning instructors stretching from across the pond as far as Sweden and Ireland, will be present to demonstrate their flow and technique throughout the days, while we take to the cool evenings with newly learned skills to light up the desert.

Photo credit: ignightfestival.com

Looking forward to the razzle dazzle flow show.

Have a fantasticus, spectacularis, magniferificent of a weekend you beautiful creatures.

And if perchance you should find yourself playing with fire of any sort, please do so with great caution. 

Photo credit: weheartit.com

Don't forget what Robert Herrick said, that as in life, 

"a spark neglected can make a mighty fire".

Tend to those smoking embers and stay safe my friends.

x

        

Fire celebrations in the ordered universe

The passing of the longest day of the year brings many festivities as we celebrate the arrival of the summer solstice.

The weather has turned, and there is much lemonade'ing, water-splashing, beaching, surfing, traveling, sailing, seaside strolling, sand dancing, and heaps of summer other'ings to do.

With the change of seasons come many worldwide firey celebrations. If you're vying to leave the backyard for a bout of travel, any of the following will have you checking your sun sign for a searing adventure.

Marking the height of summer, the residents of Wakayama, Japan commemorate Nachi-no-Hi-Matsuri, one of Japan's largest fire festivals held in honor of their ancestors. The celebration takes place by a Shinto shrine near the sacred waterfall sheltered in the mountains.

Here, twelve colossal torches each representing a god, are lit for purification by bearers clothed in white.

Adults and children from the northern Kakunodate region of Japan gather to participate in the century old practice at the Hiburi Fire Swinging Festival to bring good health and harvests to the coming year.

The Scottish include a fire procession led by a thousand torch carriers, known as the Up Helly Aa to earmark the close of winter. It is said that the celebration arose from early Scandinavian Viking raids, so festivalgoers will dress as their ancestor counterparts to pay homage.

 For the closing ceremony, a festival galley Viking ship is ignited for the fête.

Travel to Southwestern Europe to Spain's La Patum de Berga fire fest and you'll be certain to take delight in fireworks and flames of awe and wonder.

burning tar barrel running - The British Isles

Iranian Fire Festival

Florida Renaissance Festival

Marsden Imbolc Festival

 

Liestal, Switzerland

Edinburgh Hogmany

So, with the warm weather at your front doorstep, and the sparkly fireworks high in the sky above this season, don't forget to marvel in your own life celebration amidst the long, hot and fiery midsummer days and warm nights.

 

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