Polestar's 25th Birthday Celebration
Equinox Gathering
A quarter century of Spirit, Community, and Lifelong Learning
September 19th, 20th, and 21st
Event Overview
Celebrate 25 years of growth, friendship, and inspiration. Come prepared for music, storytelling, yoga, meditation, a “World Café,” campfires, Marimba Band, pickleball, hot-air balloon rides, games, a Gratitude Dinner, and more. This event and all Polestar events are drug and alcohol free.
Highlights
What To Expect
Music & Storytelling
Yoga & Meditation
“World Café” Conversations
Campfires & Games
Marimba Performances
Pickleball Matches
Hot-Air Balloon Rides — $10 per adult / $5 for ages 12 & under (cash preferred)
Gratitude Dinner
And More Surprises!
Polestar 25th Anniversary — Schedule
Saturday, September 13 (Pre-Event)
8:00–9:00 AM: Set-Up
9:00 AM–12:00 PM: World Café at Polestar Land.
12:00 PM: Buffet Lunch at Mt. Everest Café
3:00–5:30 PM: Volunteer Afternoon on the Land & Garden
Friday, September 19
3:00–5:00 PM: Volunteer Afternoon on the Land & Garden
5:00–7:00 PM: Meet & Greet, Open House, and Potluck at Polestar Land.
7:00–8:00 PM: Campfire, Chanting, and Fire Ceremony at Polestar Land.
Saturday, September 20
7:00 am-8:00 am: Meditation and 8:00 am-9:00 am: Yoga. At the land in the Temple of Trees
Morning: Hosted Activities for Out-of-Town Guests (hike, bike ride, or Old Town tour)
2:30–4:00 PM: Set-Up
4:00–5:30 PM: Sacred Music and Kirtan at Polestar Land.
6:00–8:00 PM: Gratitude Dinner with Storytelling, Music, and Videos at Polestar Land. Please RSVP for this here so we can get an idea of how many to cook for. Thanks!
Sunday, September 21
- 10:00 AM: Service at Unity of Fort Collins with talk by Dana Andersen, with music by the Polestar Singers
- 12:30-2:00 PM: Set Up
2:00–5:30 PM: Birthday Party with Games and Marimba Band at Polestar Land.
Balloon Rides(weather permitting): 2:00–4:00 PM ($10/adult, $5/child 12 & under; cash preferred)
Pupus (finger food)
5:30–6:00 PM: Closing Circle and Group Photo at Polestar Land.
Memory Lane
Do You Remember…
Endless days of cane-grass cutting in Hawaiʻi
The “polar bear club” from early Internship Programs
Sadhana on Solstice Hill and pre-dawn hikes to flowing lava
The first Ananda/SRF youth mixer in Encinitas
Friday night pizza that became sushi night
Volleyball, and more volleyball
Silent retreats, work parties, bodysurfing, and moving a 50′ greenhouse in one piece
Matthew’s stand-up-comedy energization sessions
Work and play days with the local charter school and visits from Ananda School
Sacred music festivals with a five-hour kirtan
The “Big O”
Christmas traditions: caroling, gratitude notes, mannequin challenge, all-day meditations, a 20′ tree, and the Christmas Day chicken “massacre”
Visits from the polestargeist and 3 a.m. false smoke alarms
Breakfast in silence, ukulele classes, marimba concerts, family campouts, and swimming with dolphins
And then the lava came: earthquakes all night, the 5.6 that sent everyone outside, sleeping with a gas mask on your bedside table, kirtan with lava fountains, ear-splitting explosions—the end of Polestar as we knew it (and the chance to rebuild it better)
Share Your Story
Send Memories and Birthday Wishes
Have a favorite memory or greeting for your Polestar friends? Share it with the community.
Participate in the Music
Join the Marimba Ensemble and Choir
It has been years since we have played marimbas, and we are putting together a few pieces for the celebration. No experience necessary—let us know if you would like to join.
We are also preparing a few choir pieces and practicing after kirtan on Wednesday nights. Come join the fun.