DICKINSON — A wellness-themed event will bring the community together at Patterson Lake on June 21. The Summer Solstice Celebration will begin at Site 1 in the primitive campground at 5:30 p.m.
The event is organized by Dickinson natives Megan Allcorn and Geriza Ocheltree, whose idea came from a growing interest in holistic health practices in the area.
“We all came together and decided to do this amazing event that we can build and grow on for years to come,” Ocheltree said, “and we have so many more people from the community who are so talented and so talented and joining us on this journey… It’s really been a group effort to fill this space with love and friendship.”
Photo by Megan Allcorn
Allcorn invites anyone who is interested to participate in the free event, which will begin with a community picnic where attendees can bring their own dinner or a dish to share.
“The picnic will be a great time for them to come and interact with all of us and find out more about our future annual Midsummer Festival and our vision for it,” Ocheltree said.
Efforts were made to extend the festival over several days, but Ocheltree and Allcorn decided to make it a one-night event.
“Unfortunately, we will not have a vendor show this year, however, we will have many more healing events on Friday night and provide an opportunity for the community to come together and connect,” Allcorn said.
The picnic will be followed by a cacao ceremony at 7:30pm, yoga at 8pm, followed by a crystal bowl sound bath at 8:45pm and a summer solstice bonfire at 9:30pm.
“During the cacao ceremony, we’ll touch briefly on the history and benefits of plant medicine,” Allcorn says, “and maybe take a moment to decide on your intention and share a little bit before we begin the yoga.”
Festival-goers are encouraged to bring whatever they need to stay comfortable during activities, such as yoga mats, blankets, and pillows.
Photo by Megan Allcorn
Ocheltree said lots of practice at the festival helped her get through the difficult times.
“That’s when meditation, bowls and yoga brought me the most amazing healing I’ve ever experienced,” she says. “Medicine helped me from the inside out, both physically and mentally. It was through this experience that I realized I wanted to offer people more than just physical health, I wanted to restore the true meaning of conversation, community and friendship.”
Some festival-goers plan to stay overnight at campgrounds, but Allcorn said people are welcome to join if they wish.
“Quiet time at the campground is 10 p.m. so we have to keep the noise down, but we’ll have a yoga and meditation activity followed by a bonfire and then it’ll be quiet from there,” Allcorn said.
Ocheltree stressed that people of all ages and walks of life are welcome, and attendees should keep in mind that there will be quiet spaces for meditation and yoga in the second half of the festival.
“There are a lot of people who are interested in yoga, cacao rituals, meditation, sound baths, and all the amazing things they can do, but they’re a little standoffish,” Allcorn says. “So if you’re interested, I encourage you to get involved to learn more, and don’t be scared if you feel weird or unwelcome, because it can feel really weird to do something out of the ordinary for yourself.”
Ashley Kofler is a native of Killdeer, North Dakota, and graduated from Dickinson State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and minors in Journalism and Psychology. She previously worked as a community affairs liaison for the Roosevelt-Custer Community Development Council, where she reported on Dickinson city government, community character, business and agriculture.
