A COVEN of more than a hundred witches descended over York earlier this month. Hosted by Hocus Pocus Tiny Hotel, just off Shambles, The Witches Coven returned on June 14 for its second iteration, which saw over a hundred people take to the streets for magic and mystery galore. The event kicked off with a performance from Tatwood Puppets’ Count Ocular, who was performing tricks, whilst a Russian folk legend, Baba Yaga's Bird House: Home of the Queen of Magpies (made by Judith Hope), roamed up and down the street to the sound of violins.
Guests were blessed with sage and made a wish with wishing water from Mother Shipton's Cave before they were permitted to enter the Hocus Pocus Tiny Hotel where a tour guide, namely Mad Alice from The Bloody Tour of York, gave the guests a tour of the specially decorated rooms. Guests were also able to enjoy a potion, formulated by The Potions Cauldron, as prizes of Hocus Pocus Spell boxes were given out as prizes for the best dressed. Once the onsite festivities were complete, witches, wizards, and ‘mythical creatures’ were led on a tour of the city’s most haunted locations by Mad Alice.
Co-owner of Hocus Pocus Tiny Hotel and event organiser Camelia Andrei expressed her appreciation for those who attended the event: “Coffee, tarot and fire readers, energy healers, spiritualists, hypnotists, reiki and yoga teachers, human design experts, witchy fashion lovers, but also gardeners, people drawn to nature and mindfulness, to positive thi.
