The Dandelion Daily

Recent gatherings have given locals plenty to talk about, with audiences sharing their thoughts on what worked and what could improve. In Sheffield, comedy lovers headed to Alder on Percy Street for PLUGHOLE - Sheffield's Weirdest New Material Night!, an evening of fresh stand-up where visitors enjoyed plenty of laughs and praised the easygoing setting, asking simply for more of the same. Meanwhile, dancers exploring movement at The Meditatio Centre in London’s Myddelton Square took part in Dancing Awareness: Self Enquiry. While people appreciated the session, one suggestion was to shorten the discussion to leave extra time for dancing.

Online, people joined the October - Open Circle to take part in group meditations and share thoughts together. Those logging in felt properly supported and liked the balance of personal reflection, though some wondered if taking turns to speak might prove tricky with larger crowds, suggesting shared silences instead.

A selection of community gatherings and creative workshops has arrived on Dandelion.

In Sheffield, craft lovers and absolute beginners can head to the Dana Cafe for an Earring Making Workshop. Led by Helen, the session guides participants through choosing fabrics, colours and shapes to stitch their own pair of earrings over a warm drink. Meanwhile, young families in Devon can look forward to Twinkle Twinkle at the Moor Imagination Centre in Buckfastleigh. Staged by The Last Baguette for children aged two to six, the performance uses puppetry, music and jokes to tell a solstice tale about woodland animals, followed by a short stay-and-play session.

Further south, artists and performers with some background in improvisation can join The Cauldron at Tit for Tat in Easton, Bristol. Facilitator Fiona leads warm-ups and exercises that move from collaborative play into devising new material. Finally, Somerset community members wanting to explore end-of-life choices can attend Living Well - Dying Well - Week 2 at the Glastonbury Pilgrim Reception Centre. Hosts Lucy Lord and Nicky Sutton offer an open group discussion about funeral wishes, planning ahead and talking to loved ones.

A few notable gatherings are catching people's eyes across the country and online. In Bristol, Samhain Portal: Ecstatic Dance, Ancestor Ritual & Live Sound Bath takes place at The Mount Without. Held in a deconsecrated church, this sober gathering welcomes all ages and abilities for shared songs, an ancestor altar, barefoot dancing and a sound bath with crystal singing bowls. Over in Leicestershire, Soul Revolution Festival 2027 will bring people to the grounds of Stanford Hall for a five-day gathering featuring music, movement, learning and wild swimming in the lake, with capacity capped at 3,000 attendees. Meanwhile, those curious about the science of the mind can tune in from home to Rewiring the Brain: Psychedelics, Neuroplasticity & the Windows of Change with Tommaso Barba. The educational online session features an Imperial College London researcher explaining neuroplasticity, followed by an audience question-and-answer period.