Most Pagan Friendly Places?

[Nighthawk]

Arkansas is NOT pagan friendly, to say the least. I have lived all over the country and I have found that the friendliest/ most aware place I ever lived was in Virginia Beach, VA. Very forward thinking folks there. I am looking to get the heck out of arkansas before all my kids' brains are ruined into mush. Texas has always been home to me, and I'd dearly love to go back there. But I was also wondering where else might be a pagan friendly area of the country?

 

[VaporPhreak]

Well Indiana is.... well kind of. There really arnt that many of us here, but with the right amount of searching you can find a group. Pagan bookstores are few and far between, but the ones we do have are pretty decent. On the other hand, I have heard good things about the east cost. Specifically to Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire all having sizable pagan communities. Though I have also heard the east coast is highly expensive for cost of living, though I do not know if this is equally expensive as the west coast.

 

[Nighthawk]

East coast is nice, but the cost of living is also higher. I know I can find pagans everywhere, it's just the level of acceptance of the general community that is often lacking.

 

[Sdh]

I know my brother lives in Springfield Missouri and he had to go to Kansas city for a pagan festival. I know Arkansas is part of the bible belt. I lived in Southwest Missouri for around 5 years. Good luck on your quest.

 

[Nighthawk]

To get to Arkansas, you have to use a time machine and go back 2 generations. ah well. I also think it's partly a city/country issue. The more metropolitan an area is, the more likely it's going to be more progressive. I'm used to being solitary in practice, but a few stores & festivals would be nice for the kids. that way they know it's not just their mom's craziness. lol

 

[salliezoo]

Hawaii and California are pagan friendly. Altho in California it depends on what city or town. In Hawaii, its pretty much island wide. But that is basically true for all religions and non-religions. A few evangelical christian groups have a problem with it, but they can't build enough interest or momentum in their efforts to stop it because of the open-mindedness of the majority of people who live here.

 

[Nighthawk]

whooo yeah! Twist my arm to make me go live in Hawaii. lol I do have a couple of friends there too. hummmm ideas are perking... I've lived in cali a time or two... not really looking to go back there. hawaii now.... that has possibilities.

 

[Nyxie]

I thought for sure when I moved here, my area would be less Pagan friendly. I came from Chicago and that was pretty open minded in general. Now I am in a suburb about 45 minutes north of Tampa. It is a rednecky southern sort of area with yuppies and city folk moving this way. I was surprised to find so many Pagans and Pagan activities.
We have Pagan Pride day in 2 counties near me and a not affiliated Pagan pride day n our county. There is Florida Pagan Gathering that is huge, in Ocala National forest a few times a yr. We have at least 3 groves and several circles and covens around here and metaphysical stores are abundant. Two different drumming circles and coffee nights can be found fairly close to me. We even have a local park that has a Holiday card walk along the pathway, local business donate to have thier name put on the person size cards. The local Pagans donate for a Yule Card on the walk in the park and no one does anything to it lol. No one really bothers us but most of us aren't the buffy looking fluffy bunnies either.

 

[StarsAndBars]

Arkansas is NOT pagan friendly, to say the least. I have lived all over the country and I have found that the friendliest/ most aware place I ever lived was in Virginia Beach, VA. Very forward thinking folks there. I am looking to get the heck out of arkansas before all my kids' brains are ruined into mush. Texas has always been home to me, and I'd dearly love to go back there. But I was also wondering where else might be a pagan friendly area of the country?

Wow... lucky kids.

 

[Nighthawk]

Sounds like a great place Nyxie!
Stars... Arkansas' 'educational' system is really really in bad shape. They are producing college professors that cannot spell or write. The local schools here are more about riot control than education. Poverty is high, crime rate is very high and jobs are few and far between. I want better for my kids. Since I am shooting for the moon, I was hoping for a friendly pagan community as a bonus to safety and good educations.
So, I've been asking myself.... why NOT Hawaii?? lol live in a paradise. I visited there once when I was a kid, I know a few folks from there. Seems like fairly down to earth, laid back folks there for the most part. I may be dreaming, but I don't think it hurts to dream big sometimes.
My previous plans had always been an escape to Mexico, but crime there has gotten insane to say the least. Not a place to raise the kids anymore.

 

[Harlequin]

It's been a while since I was "active", but I'd think Seattle and San Francisco would both be pretty Pagan-friendly.

 

[WomanOfHeart]

Colorado is pretty Pagan friendly. Just stay away from Colorado Springs.

 

[AJMoore]

It's been a while since I was "active", but I'd think Seattle and San Francisco would both be pretty Pagan-friendly.

Almost a year for you, get ready to party!

 

[mystic]

I lived in Albuquerque for 7 years before moving here to Florida. Most of New Mexico is very Pagan friendly, probably because of all the Native American population.

Mystic

 

[lilith79]

Michigan isn't too bad.

 

[phoenixfire]

Colombia, Mo. Is about the most open and pagen friendly place that I have been to. It is a collage town in west central Mo, has an awesom pagen fest. West Plains, Mo.,south central Mo. is pretty P/F also. St.Louis Has a great Pagen Fest

 

[Ardeagold]

Louisiana? Especially New Orleans area? Just a guess.

 

[Badgerangel]

I lived in Batesville, Arkansas and was a teenage Pagan there. NOT the best of places to wear a three inch in diameter (forgive me, please, I was 16) pentagram.
I would agree with Seattle, if you're looking for an urban area, but that's just based on what I've heard. I live in the Chattanooga, TN area. Tennessee can be pretty cool, (Pagan Unity Festival was just last week) but I don't know any "out" Pagans personally. I think your best bet might be to hit up Witchvox.

 

[MsTick]

San Francisco area is very pagan-friendly, but California has some issues to deal with these days. Problem with my San Jose home is that for all but 4 days of the year, pagan activities here are overshadowed by SF and Berkeley, so there's not much going on, unless you are willing and able to drive there. Then we get to host Pantheacon and become the center of the universe for one long weekend.

 

[rainkeltoia]

Maine and New Hampshire are very pagan friendly. I've never seen any aggressiveness, hatred, or lack of acceptance from anyone towards pagans. Heck the local Unitarian Universalists regularly let a pagan circle I know use their basement for meetings and gatherings without any animosity or ridiculous rules (aside from skyclad being highly frowned upon)