Pagans Use Fest to Show Their Beliefs

May 24, 2010

Author: Amy Lavalley

Source: Post-Tribune

http://www.post-trib.com/news/2307834,vmayfair0524.article

Lizz Frenzel was drawn to the first May Faire Sunday at Taltree Arboretum and Garden because of the maypole.

Fresh from a trip to the Bavarian region of Germany, Frenzel, of Valparaiso, saw maypoles in many of the small towns, though she missed the May 1 celebration of the ancient tradition there.

Frenzel also is a weaver and is fascinated by the woven patterns of the brightly colored ribbons as people walk around the pole.

"It is so much the story of our lives, and how our lives weave in and out," she said. "In the end, it's a very beautiful creation that's been made."

Frenzel was one of about 200 people to attend the first fair, sponsored by the Northwest Indiana Pagan Association, or NIPA, and featuring an assortment of booths for vendors, animal rescue organizations, churches and other organizations.