A question for pagans of all types and experience - would you attend a moot?

We have several recon Clan's (Celtic/Anglo Saxon/Norse) that attend an annual "Kithmoot" each year locally.

We do a camping weekend in the fall.

There is also a local "Pagan pride" for the Neo-pagans.

do you attend your local moot if there is one?

I did for several years, yes.

What kind is it (pub, house or speaker based) do you interact with your local community at all?

Pub-based. The pub is owned by local pagans. They have recently retired, so will only be open on weekends for general business, but will still open special just for moots each month and we can use the space for emergency meetings when necessary.

The typical moot is socializing for a while, then usually some kind of casual ritual in the pub or out in the side lot next to the public park. Very little drinking, no one really goes home drunk (which is actually rather astonishing considering the local culture of heavy drinkers that we live in.) We never have speakers, but community leaders use the opportunity to make announcements.

I would personally be uncomfortable showing up to some strangers house and/or paying money to attend. It would be hard even if I knew the home-owner. I understand that there are costs for speakers and rituals etc, but if I were new to the idea, you couldn't get me to go unless a close friend dragged me there. That's just my personal comfort level. I'm more comfortable meeting strangers or attending 'public' events in public places than in someone's private home.

Are times too hard?

Our moot is free to attend, but it is considered polite to order something from the pub when attending. Most attendees have their dinner there.

I haven't noticed a drop in attendance over the last few years... it's been relatively the same, it goes up and down depending on the season or what kind of drama is going on in the community. I've stopped attending due to health issues, but may go back soon.

-Scarlet

There's a local group that has monthly gatherings - I think they alternate between a couple of houses, and one of the local pubs. I think there's also one a little further out that meets at coffee shops or bookstores.

I tend not to go because: 1) I've got a house and a 3 year old, both of which require a lot of time and effort to take care of (and that's not counting all of the other things I try to do), and 2) The local Pagan "scene" doesn't particularly sync well with me - I'm a bit out of the ordinary when it comes to Pagans, and due to lack of time for everything else I'd like to do, it just doesn't seem worth it to dump my time into that.

I'd say that £3 isn't that significant a cost, so even though Pagans are stereotypically cheap, it doesn't seem that severe a price. I'm willing to bet at least some of it it based on other things competing for their time.

I love social events and so does our Priestess... although she doesn't drink, she enjoys the pub atmosphere and the fun. That being said, I've found that pubs aren't very conductive to serious discussions... if you want to talk about spirituality, some sort of quiet private meeting place is better for that.

The only reason I don't attend moots these days is because I often can't get to them due to not having my own transport.

Depends on what you consider to be pagan. Some consider pagan to only be those that worship the old gods, others consider it to be anything that isn't abrahamic.