Opening Ceremony with Dr. Shirley Rowland
Dr. Shirley Rowland
Dr. Shirley Rowland, Cherokee Elder and cultural healing educator, will open Sacramento Goddess Festival with a ceremony rooted in ancestral wisdom, sacred presence, and community connection. This intentional beginning invites attendees to arrive fully, honor the gathering, and enter the weekend with openness, gratitude, and shared purpose.
Sacramento Goddess Festival begins with an Opening Ceremony led by Dr. Shirley Rowland, a Cherokee Elder devoted to cultural healing, tradition keeping, and community education.
Through sacred presence, ancestral wisdom, rhythm, and intentional gathering, Dr. Rowland will welcome attendees into the festival and create a meaningful threshold between everyday life and the shared experience of the weekend.
The ceremony invites participants to pause, arrive fully, and recognize the importance of gathering in community. It offers space to honor the land, acknowledge one another, and enter the festival with gratitude, openness, and intention.
Dr. Rowland’s approach is shaped by more than 40 years of experience in culturally rooted healing practices, traditional storytelling, sound healing, and the Healing Drum. Her leadership brings depth, reverence, and a sense of connection to the opening of the festival.
This ceremony is open to all festival attendees and serves as the official beginning of the Sacramento Goddess Festival weekend.
About This Session
Sacramento Goddess Festival begins with an Opening Ceremony led by Dr. Shirley Rowland, a Cherokee Elder devoted to cultural healing, tradition keeping, and community education.
Through sacred presence, ancestral wisdom, rhythm, and intentional gathering, Dr. Rowland will welcome attendees into the festival and create a meaningful threshold between everyday life and the shared experience of the weekend.
The ceremony invites participants to pause, arrive fully, and recognize the importance of gathering in community. It offers space to honor the land, acknowledge one another, and enter the festival with gratitude, openness, and intention.
Dr. Rowland’s approach is shaped by more than 40 years of experience in culturally rooted healing practices, traditional storytelling, sound healing, and the Healing Drum. Her leadership brings depth, reverence, and a sense of connection to the opening of the festival.
This ceremony is open to all festival attendees and serves as the official beginning of the Sacramento Goddess Festival weekend.
Things to Know
Day & Date
Saturday, August 29, 2026
Time
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Location
Lawn Area
Duration
30 Minutes
Admission
Included with Festival Admission
Meet The Presenter
Dr. Shirley Rowland
Culture and Crafts Healing Center
Learn more about this presenter’s background, experience, and work.
