Autumn is the dusk of the year. As the sun sets on the day of the equinox, we’ll gather around our campfire by the creek—where we’ve been processing and brewing plants for dye—to celebrate the coming of fall.

Join me for an Equinox Dye Ritual on Sunday, September 22nd, 4pm until after sunset, in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains north of Altadena.

In many places harvest is winding down—fields reaped, seeds collected for next year—but here, under the oaks, the bountiful season is just beginning. The sun dips lower, the nights grow cooler, and the acorns get larger and heavier, weighing down the branches, finally ripening and falling from their parent trees.

Along with acorns, galls are maturing and falling from the oaks. This is a precious hour on the dyer’s clock of the year. Together we’ll process and brew a pot of dye from local galls, and I’ll share about oak ecology, lore, history, and more.

We’ll build a campfire, walk along the creek, eat and drink and create together on this first evening of fall. You are encouraged to bring: a flashlight, lantern, or candle; food and drink to enjoy; and something of your own to dip in the communal dye pots.

Location and other details will be sent to you the week of the event, so please make sure your email address is correct when checking out.