Samhain - Festival of Remembrance

Event FAQ

Q: What are the ticket options for this event?

There are three tiers of tickets for this event. One ticket = one adult entry.

‘Bring a dish’ ticket - bring a dish to share and entry is free. There is an option to add a donation of your choice when booking this ticket to help cover hire costs. Thank you in advance for contributing towards the event and helping to create a collaborative community experience for us all.

‘Supporter’ - Pay minimum of £10 towards the cost of food and drinks and you don’t need to do any cooking! Great for those who don’t enjoy cooking, but do enjoy eating. Any amount you contribute will be gratefully received to cover food, drinks, venue hire and resource costs. Thank you!

‘Community Builder’ - Pay a minimum of £15 to cover costs for your meal as well as contributing towards someone else’s. This helps to ensure that everyone who wants to be at the table, can be. Thank you!

Q: Is this event appropriate for children?

There are so many wonderful family-friendly and child-focused events happening throughout the year, especially around Halloween and Harvest time, and we wholeheartedly encourage families to enjoy those together.

This Mortal Life seasonal gatherings, however, are intended as adult-only spaces. They’re open to all adults of any age, parents and non-parents alike, and are designed to nurture reflection, connection, and presence. As any parent knows, it can be hard to fully drop into that kind of space with little ones in tow.

These gatherings offer a rare opportunity for adults to slow down, step away from everyday responsibilities, and be part of something intentionally contemplative. It’s a small window of time to feed your soul, and be intentional about your own needs.

Q: What’s the dress code?

Please dress in whatever makes you feel most yourself. Whatever makes you feel comfortable. Whatever makes you feel like ‘you’.

Q: What’s a ‘Remembrance Altar’ and what should I bring?

You may want to read my recent blog about why we celebrate Samhain here.

In Celtic tradition, Samhain (pronounced “Sow-ein”) marks the turning of the seasons, the end of harvest, and the beginning of winter’s quiet. It was said that at Samhain, the veil between the worlds grew thin, allowing ancestors to draw near. Fires were lit, food was shared, and the dead were honoured with gratitude and care. Today, many still gather at this time to reflect, release and remember; recognising death not as an ending, but as part of life’s continuous cycle. And this is what we will do too, at our Samhain gathering on Sunday, 2nd November.

Please bring photographs and/or tokens that remind you of your loved ones who are no longer living. This might include natural objects that remind you of them, personal photographs, letters, flowers or even their favourite sweets.

When you arrive you will have a chance to add your items to the Remembrance Altar which will be on display for the evening as we celebrate together, and at the end of the night, please take what you brought home with you. The Altar will be photographed, and everyone will receive photographs from the evening via email the following week.

Q: I booked a ‘bring a dish’ ticket, what should I bring?

Think seasonally. Think local. Think vegetarian or vegan.

As part of honouring the turning of the year, we’ll be sharing a seasonal meal together. If you have booked a ‘bring a dish’ ticket, please prepare something homemade, perhaps with inspiration from a favourite recipe and what’s in season.

Think warming soups, roasted roots, fruit crumbles, or hearty salads, dishes that celebrate autumn’s abundance and comfort. There’s no need for perfection, just intention and care. If baking bread is your thing, please bring some freshly bakes bread for the tables. If your go-to meal is a veggie curry or chilli, please bring a pot of it to share. There will be spaces for slow-cookers (or ‘crockpots’, depending on where you’re from!) to be plugged in to stay warm.

Seasonal produce ideas for inspiration…

Vegetables: Beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash and other winter squashes, cabbage, kale, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, leeks, onions, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, swede, turnips.

Fruit: Apples, blackberries, cranberries, damsons, medlars, pears, plums, quinces.

Nuts & Foraged Foods: Chestnuts, cobnuts/hazelnuts, walnuts, mushrooms, rosehips, sloes.

Other Local Highlights: Local cheeses and preserves, honey, fresh herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary), and late-season greens from gardens, allotments or your local farmer’s market.

Ideas for Dishes: Roasted root vegetables, squash soups or stews, curries, seasonal tarts or pies, apple or pear crumbles, homemade breads, chutneys or pickles, warm grain salads

Q: Which ticket should I book?

If you enjoy cooking or baking, the ‘bring a dish’ ticket is the right one for you. If the thought of cooking a casserole for others to eat sounds terrifying, we encourage you to use the opportunity to get a cooking lesson in from mum or your lovely neighbour (and invite them to book a spot too!). Otherwise, the ‘Contributor’ or ‘Community Builder’ ticket will be the right choice for you. We don’t want you stressing, we want you to show up authentically. With this in mind, bringing store bought crisps and dips will not be sufficient to get you in the door.

Q: I have food allergies, is it safe for me to eat the food others bring?

Because this is a bring-and-share meal, dishes will be prepared in a variety of home kitchens, and there is no guarantee that any food will be completely free from specific allergens or cross-contamination. Everyone is encouraged to take responsibility for their own wellbeing and decide what level of risk feels comfortable for them.

To help with this, all contributors will be asked to list the ingredients used in their dishes so that everyone can make informed choices about what they eat.

If you have a serious allergy or health condition that could require urgent attention, please let me know when you book your place or contact me here in advance of the event. That way, I can be aware and prepared to support you if needed.

Q: Will there be alcohol available or can I bring alcohol?

No, there won’t be alcohol available at the event, but there will be a variety of delicious natural soft drinks available to enjoy throughout the evening. From homebrewed herbal ice-teas to natural flavoured spritzers and infused waters. Teas and coffee will also be available via the bar during the open mic.

Centring alcohol at social gatherings isn’t the flex it once was. More and more people are choosing to drink less alcohol, or forgoing it all together, for all kinds of reasons. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a drink, but it’s not a priority or a prerequisite for connection in this space.

This Mortal Life’s seasonal gatherings are alcohol-free because, for some, it’s a welcome pause from the pressure to drink, and for others, it’s a relief not to have that pressure at all. Creating spaces where everyone can be fully present, comfortable and included feels far more meaningful than raising a glass ever could.

Q: Is there parking at the venue?

The venue is 13 Central Walk, Weston-super-Mare BS23 1FF. There’s several parking options very close to the venue, however, Carlton Street carpark is the closest, only a short 2-minute walk across the road from the entrance to the Front Room.

Q: Is the venue accessible?

Yes, there is a carpark very close by with accessible parking. The venue is fully accessible and people who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids are just as welcome to attend as anyone else would be. If you have any specific needs or concerns, please contact me in advance for a chat. We’ll do whatever we can to help make it possible to participate in the evening’s events.

Q: Are there public transport links to the venue?

Yes, the Weston-Super-Mare train station is a short walk, about 10 minutes. There are trains about every 30 minutes to/from Bristol with the last train back to Bristol at 11.49pm on Sundays. There are also busses that run regularly around Weston and the surrounding areas. Please visit the First Bus website for more information.

Q: If we’re remembering people who have died, is this going to be a sombre event?

Sombre? No. Tender, heartfelt and joyfully human? Yes.

This Mortal Life makes space for the whole spectrum: the sacred and the silly, the mystical and the mundane, the laughter that sits right alongside the tears. Samhain invites us to remember those who have died, but also to celebrate the great, ongoing cycle of life and death that we’re all part of.

This gathering will weave together honest conversations, a shared seasonal meal, gentle moments of reflection and a touch of playfulness, because remembrance can be beautiful, connective and even fun. We’re here for all of it.

Q: What’s the open mic portion of the evening going to be like and how do I get involved?

Think of it this way, it’s a dinner party that will eventually lead into an open mic evening after dinner. The open mic will be open to anyone to share, but it would be great if you could let me know in advance for planning purposes. If you’d like to share something, please consider the themes below and email me as soon as possible so I can add you to the list for the evening.

Open mic themes: the changing of the seasons, the metaphorical and literal harvest taking place in our lives, the collective grief we face as global citizens witnessing the pain of others in so many places around the world, remembering those who are no longer living among us.

Q: Is there photography and video taken at events? What if I don’t want to be in photographs?

Yes, the seasonal events are always photographed, as I like to be able to provide photos to the attendees after events. I also use them on the website and for social media purposes to promote This Mortal Life and the types of events we do. If you don’t want to be included in photographs, no problem, please make yourself known to me when you arrive. We will be sure to not include you in photos, and not use photos where you may be included.

Q: I’d like to help with this event, who should I talk to?

I’d LOVE some help! I’m Esther, and you can read more about me here. I’d love for people to get involved with collaborating on these seasonal events. Please email me for a chat!