June 20, 2024 is the first day of summer, the Summer Solstice. For the past 15 years, the Friends of Serpent Mound have hosted their Summer Solstice Celebration Festival, either at, or next door to the Great Serpent Mound Park. Normally, only a three-day event, this year it will be four, to include the day of the solstice, June 20 – 23 at Soaring Eagle Retreat, 375 Horner Chapel Rd, Peebles, Ohio.
The Friends of Serpent Mound (FOSM), established in 2004, will also start celebrating their 20th year from this festival until their 2025 Festival. With fall and spring Mound tours in the works. Each tour will highlight mounds in a different part of Ohio. At this festival, there will be a variety of presentations, workshops, tours, music, hands-on activities and more.
The celebration begins Thursday, June 20 from 3 = 7 p.m. The Serpent Mound Park has posted that they will be open from 5:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m., offering the public the opportunity to see and experience the alignment with the rising or setting sun for that one day. All other days the park will close at 5 p.m. and access is only permitted during park hours. Our festival continues Friday, June 21 thru Sunday, June 23 from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. The event is held at Soaring Eagle Retreat, 375 Horner Chapel Road, which is along the eastern border of the Serpent Mound Park. Festival parking is free, parking at the Serpent Mound Park is $8 or more, and the two locations are accessible via a short walk along the Buckeye Trail, during park hours.
Last year, a two-year sponsorship program began to keep the festival free to the public and the following individuals and businesses answered the call: Michael and Donna Eastlake, Holly Johnson and Family, Wallingford’s ACE Hardware in Peebles, the Adams County Travel and Visitors Bureau, the Peebles Flower Shop, McCann Laundry, Wallace-Thompson Funeral Homes, West Union Mower Services, Abby’s Place in Peebles, the Great Serpent Mound Dowsers, the Serpent Mound Star Knowledge Peace Summits, The Strange Road – Podcast, Wal-Mart, Fair Ridge Farm, and Beverly McKenzie, owner of Soaring Eagle Retreat. This year, there is another great supporter, MoonDoggie LIVERee.
There will be several returning supporting organizations at the 2024 festival. The Ohio Atlatl Association will teach the public the history of and how to throw an atlatl. Members from several different Chapters of the Archeological Society of Ohio, will have their collections on display. The Great Serpent Mound Dowser’s have returned to help the FOSM Volunteers, man the Information Booth as well as many behind the scene tasks. Every year, a representative of the Buckeye Trail has been in attendance. The Appalachian Foothills Chapter oversees the sections from Sinking Springs throughout Adams County down to Shawnee Forest.
On Saturday, FOSM will be honoring Stephen Kelley posthumous for his work towards the Buckeye Trail many years ago. For years now the Scioto Valley Bird and Nature Club members, Mr. and Mrs. Gary McFadden, lead two-hour nature walks around Soaring Eagle and Serpent Mound, identifying flora and fauna that the public are unfamiliar with. Two unique birds they have seen or heard are a Bald Eagle and a Chuck-will’s-widow.
There will be nine different presentations on a multitude of topics about Serpent Mound or its surrounding area. FOSM’s Executive Director, Delsey Wilson will open the festival at 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 20 with the presentation “Friends of Serpent Mound, 20 Years”. Friday, June 21, FOSM’s President, Jeffrey Wilson will discuss the crop circle from 2003 that was across the creek from the park’s entrance. Saturday, June 22, Terri Rivera, founder of Serpent Mound Star Knowledge and Peace Summits will share her story of growing up in Idaho along the Snake River to now living three miles from Serpent Mound.
Dusty Ruth, with the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization, will discuss findings from this area. There will be a Q & A session with past Serpent Mound Managers. Jeffrey Wilson will conclude the day with a presentation on how his search for the original survey of Serpent Mound led him to publish the “Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley, the Expanded Edition.”
Sunday, June 23 is packed with even more! Jeffrey and Delsey Wilson will do a two-hour joint presentation on Serpent Mound’s pre-park history. Paul Worley, the Adams County Economic Development Director will discuss “The Legacy of John T. Wilson”. Then, Jeffrey will reprise his presentation “The Women Who Saved Serpent Mound”, followed by local genealogist Brandy Pointer and the great-great granddaughter of Daniel Rucker Wallace, first full time caretaker of Serpent Mound. She will discuss her family’s 25 year dedication to Serpent Mound.
Besides these historic and eclectic lectures, there are nature themed presentations, too. The School of Falconry is returning to delight us with his sense of humor and majestic birds of prey on Thursday, June 20. This is an interactive presentation and the full house last year had a blast. On Friday, Chris Cline, owner of Butterfly Ridge returns to discuss how one can increase their pollinator population. Adams County resident, photographer, and naturalist John Howard will give his presentation ”Rare Encounters In Southern Ohio”, which will discuss both the flora and the fauna rarities of the region. June 22 & 23 at 10 am join MoonDoggie LIVERee and Jeffrey Wilson on a float tour along Ohio Brush Creek. Rent a yak from her or bring your own to the public access point and join in. Or rent a kayak any time throughout the weekend to enjoy the beautiful Ohio Brush Creek at your leisure. Once a day, the MoonDoggie Magic Bus will also help us shuttle people, and lead a small caravan, to private property for viewing the Serpent Mound Crater. If that isn’t enough nature for you, stop by the FOSM booth and grab a free “Photographic Nature Scavenger Hunt” list. Individuals or Families can participate, those that show us pictures of at least half the items on the list, will receive a small prize. The big prize is the fun experience one gets exploring nature!
Prefer to sit back and listen to some music, instead? We have a diverse line-up this year for you. On June 20, musician and lifetime performer, John DeBoer will tell stories and play his flute. On June 21, Baba Jubal may drum and offer some spiritual direction, Joanie Boyle will use crystal bowls to lead a meditation, Crystal Judge will grace us with her beautiful voice, and Stephen Rutherford will close out the evening with his dance music and drumming. June 22, local musician Terri Rivera will start the day with music and meditation. Hopefully, followed by singer and songwriter Chris Davis. Later, local legend Steve Free will be up on stage. Sunday morning, another local resident, Deo Abellera, will start us off with his singing bowls and we will conclude the festival from 6 pm to 7 pm with a community drumming, so grab your percussion instrument of choice and come join in!
Other presentations on our schedule include, Lawrence Greene, a founding member of the Friends of The Plains Mounds, will discuss mounds in the Athens County area, and Debbie Keri-Brown, motivational speaker & published author will present “Life, Death, & Butterflies”. Plus, we have three days of free workshops, around 40 vendors, and food! Bonus, Serpent Mound is just a short stroll away, or park there and walk to us! The Friends of Serpent Mound is a 501c3 non-profit organization. We invite you to visit our website for the full festival schedules, to learn more about our other events, or to become a member. Visit www.serpentmound.org.
