Portsmouth to host first Witches Fête with tarot readings and spell workshops
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The Witches Fête will take place on November 1
An enchanting new market is coming to Portsmouth, offering bakery and craft stalls alongside tarot readings and witch lessons, teaching things such as spellwork and astrology to budding enchantresses.
Rebecca Gilbert, who runs Auntie Duck’s Apothecary, decided to set up The Witches Fête after she couldn’t find anything else like it in the city. “I was looking for witchy markets to do myself with the apothecary and I couldn't find any, so I just decided to do my own,” she said.
Ms Gilbert, who is of Romany Gypsy decent, grew up around family members with ‘The Gift’. “It's in my blood,” she said.
“Gypsies are known for fortune telling and tarot reading. The magical side of things is just in our blood. I've always been into all of that stuff. About 11 years ago now, I really got into the craft and educated myself about reading tarot, and it's just become more and more part of my daily life every day, really.”
Ms Gilbert also wanted to help educate others on the practices of witches and Romany Gypsy culture, and now runs an academy that teaches students a range of topics, including spells, astrology and tarot. Classes take place at The Cove on London Road.
“Now I've got three or four witches in the highest classes now,” she said.
The fête will feature workshops and tarot readings, as well as stalls from traders such as Morellas Cakery, Devora Draws Carmen Virgo and The Bookyard, among others.
The Witches Fête will take place on November 1 from 12pm to 8pm at Treadgolds on Bishop Street.