The Wild Goose Festival does not take flight on its own. Meet the team of who put the wind beneath its wings: calling speakers, arranging schedules, and generally making sure there are plenty of things for you to do when you arrive. These folks are more than fans of Wild Goose; they are fanatics.
Focusing on spirituality, justice, art, music, youth and accessibility—this year’s programming team includes Cassie Barrett, Troy Bronsink, Whitney Brown, Jeff Clark, Carrie Craig, Micky ScottBey Jones, Holly Roach, Teresa Pasquale, Mary Wortas, and Holly Rankin Zaher.
“I love the beautiful, messy, unpredictable, open space the Goose has created,” says Micky ScottBey Jones, co-curator of the justice track this year. “There are not many spaces curated by those claiming to be Christians that are really spaces of spiritual exploration, challenge, wrestling, and healing.”
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- Cassie Barrett
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- Troy Bronsink
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- Whitney Brown
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- Jeff Clark
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- Carrie Craig
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- Micky ScottBey Jones
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- Teresa Pasquale
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- Mary Wortas
Teresa B Pasquale is co-curator for spirituality, focusing especially on healing and recovery. This will be her fourth year at the festival. For her, Wild Goose is a pilgrimage of sorts.
“For many people, myself included, it was like a finding a spiritual home.”
“For many people, myself included, it was like a finding a spiritual home,” says Teresa. “It was so richly layered and comforting in a way that didn’t exist where I came from and lived out in my daily life. I think the Goose is that safe space for many. As it grows and the community deepens, it also becomes the seedbed for amazing ideas, projects, programs, and partnerships. It truly is a sacred mountaintop and a pilgrim’s path.”
Micky Having Fun At Wild Goose
Carrie Craig, ADA coordinator for the festival, is on board to ensure that path is open to all. “I look forward to sharing the different ways we can be peacemakers this year,” says Carrie. “The timing is perfect. I am also excited about our musicians! They are going to bring diverse and creative ways to sing our prayers for peace.”
This year, Teresa is excited to hear Gungor and the Liturgists do, as she says, “what they do so well” in the Goose context.
“In terms of the spirituality tent, I am really glad we are going to delve into issues of war, peace, and conflict resolution in a deep and complex way—without simple dualistic, good-or-bad ideologies,” she says. “I am also glad we are continuing to layer in all the spaces interactive sacred practices and experiences for the festival attendees to not just see but be involved in bringing the festival alive.”
I love that my former-pastor, Marine-turned Buddhist Monk friend Bushi can lead a meditation session and my friend Holly Rankin-Zaher can facilitate a conversation on privilege with teenagers in the Youth tent and then a Beer & Hymns session starts up in the evening by the River, all in the same day!
Troy Bronsink, Director of Wild Goose Gallery, will help attendees do just that. This year, over a half-dozen art encounters will be sprinkled throughout the festival: weavers, painters, stations of the cross. This year Wild Goose will also be debuting an evening of short film. “It will be a great way to include this medium in the community we’re building through the goose,” says Troy.
Wild Goose is anything but static. It is growing and changing, from year to year and even from day to day.
As Micky points out, Wild Goose is unique. It is truly an open and safe place.
“I love that my former-pastor, Marine-turned Buddhist Monk friend Bushi can lead a meditation session and my friend Holly Rankin-Zaher can facilitate a conversation on privilege with teenagers in the Youth Tent and then a Beer & Hymns session starts up in the evening by the River, all in the same day!” she says. “It’s a beautiful embodiment of shalom in many ways. It’s not perfect. It’s still messy and requires a ton of grace, but it’s something.”
Wild Goose Programming Team