The Mystic South Conference has been going strong since 2017. We have been blessed to have a wide variety of presenters who offer workshops, panel discussions, academic PAPERS, and rituals each year. We have been truly blessed that the following individuals have allowed us to honor them as VIP presenters at our past conferences.
2026 – Visions and Bloodlines
Our headliners for 2026 included David Shi, Sherry Shone, Ivo Dominguez, JR, and the group Mac N Cheese. From oracular workshops to protecting the bloodlines, from divination tools in Black Folk Magic to the Politics of Angels, our headliners presented workshops on a wide array of topics. Returning this year was our popular Headliners Panel, where all of our headliners weighed in on questions both from the moderator as well as from the audience.
2025 – Girl Power!
In 2025, we hit a milestone – all femme VIP’s! We had an exciting year expanding into our new space at the Crown Plaza Ravinia with larger conference rooms and a bigger audience. Joining us as VIP’s for 2025 were Pamela Chen, Mawiyah Kai El-Jamah Bomani, and Courtney Weber. To add to the star power we also had Ginger Doss and their cohort Lynda Millard provide musical entertainment. Other than the cold (be sure to get your Mystic South sweatshirt for next year!) everyone agreed this was our largest and most powerful Mystic South yet!
2024 – The Circle is Ever Expanding
In our 6th conference year, we once more were happily overwhelmed by the community’s interest in presenting at, and attending, our conference. What began with just over 200 people coming together for workshops and rituals has blossomed into a conference boasting nearly 600 participants! We were humbled that this year Wendy Mata, Sen Elias, and Morgan Daimler accepted our Headliner invitations and offered a variety of workshops and panel discussions.
2023 – Deepening of Practice
The coordinators of Mystic South are always amazed at the variety of workshops, PAPERS, panels, and rituals that are submitted each year. As presenters return year after year, their offerings demonstrate a depth of practice that comes from the actual DOING of what they’re speaking about, not just talking about it. And our headliners for 2023 were no exception. Mystic South attendees were treated to a variety of offerings by Stephanie Rose Bird, Laura Tempest Zakroff, Najah Lightfoot, and PAPERS Headliner Cory Thomas Hutcheson.
2022 – In the Shadow of Covid
As John Beckett described it, 2022 was “a necessary retreat” back to our community space of Mystic South. After the previous two years of having to practice social distancing, the MSC board took the steps necessary to ensure that everyone at our first conference post-pandemic were safe and secure. Attendees expressed themselves through both fun and spiritually-themed masks, and several even sported Mystic South masks at the conference! A giant THANK YOU to our headliners, who not only shared their knowledge with us, but helped us re-enter community space together. Thank you to Thorn Mooney and David Salsbury, our Academic VIP, Carla-Elaine Johnson, and our returning musical guest, Tuatha Dea!
2019 – A Meeting of Various Traditions
Each year builds upon the last, and 2019 was no exception. A wide variety of Pagan, Wiccan, Heathen, and other polytheist traditions were represented by deeply dedicated and highly engaged speakers and ritualists. We were also blessed to have that diversity represented among our headliners. Our gratitude goes out to Lilith Dorsey, Jason Mankey, and returning headliner Sangona Oludoye for including us in their travels for 2017. And thank you also to returning musical guests, Tuatha Dea!
2018 – Building on Community
We reconvened at the Crowne Ravinia hotel for another year of workshops, academic PAPERS, rituals (all the rituals!), and panel discussions. Our headliners this year added their unique perspectives on too many topics to enumerate. A big southern Thank Y’all to Ivo Dominguez Jr, Yasa Nsasi Vence Guerra, John Beckett, and Sangoma Oludoye for sharing their wisdom with our attendees. And thank you to The Night Travelers and Mama Gina for helping us ring in the evenings with music and laughter!
Inaugural Year – 2017
While our resolve and sense of community may have been tested during our first conference (check out our Press & Reviews page for the various descriptions of how important water is to a conference!), our headliners during our first year handled everything with the grace and professionalism that comes from years of service to the Goddess. We were delighted to have Dorothy Morrison, Katrina Messenger, Byron Ballard, and Orion Foxwood join us as VIP’s in 2017, and for Tuatha Dea to add their voices and songs as our musical guest.