Full cups of steaming coffee kept San Marcos romantics warm as they shopped for mystical, handmade love potions among the witches.
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, Buzz Mill hosted a Witches Market Feb. 11, sending love and magic into the community. Witches offered tarot readings, love potions, handmade decor and natural apothecary goods.
The Witches Market is headed by Jessica Beauvoir, owner of Eris Apothecary in Austin. Seeking community among local witches, she began a traveling market as a way to unite their special talents. Witches from Austin, San Marcos and other nearby towns gather once a month at Buzz Mill to sell their specialty goods.
The Witches Market has been held at Buzz Mill since October 2016. The market has celebrated the Hunters Moon, Beaver Moon and Blood Moon. While it typically follows moon cycles, this market came just in time for Valentine’s Day.
“It’s not just about romantic love,” Beauvoir said. “We have kits here for self-love too and that’s just as important, if not more so.”
Nicole Moniz, owner of The Spirit Connection, also believes in the importance of self-love. Her booth hosted a collection of love spells catered to different types of love.
“You’ve got to start loving yourself before you can even try to love someone else,” Moniz said.
Beauvoir said Valentine’s Day is not typically a pagan or Wiccan holiday, but the acknowledgment and celebration of love is something they focus on regularly. She said they accept witches and customers of all kinds regardless of their beliefs or background. A general appreciation for Gothic art and handmade crafts are common qualities between all the vendors.
Emily Morton, Buzz Mill’s event coordinator, said the market is important because it merges two communities in an unusual way.
“They bring such cool vibes, and it’s unlike anything else in town so it’s great for our community,” Morton said. “And they’re their own community, too, so it kind of brings everyone together.”
Moniz said one of her favorite elements of the market is the fact that it gets the community outdoors. She said as a pagan or witch it is important to go outside and experience nature’s energy.
“Buying stuff on a catalog has its perks, but taking a step outside and buying handmade crafts does too,” Moniz said. “As a practicing witch, it just makes it more personal and meaningful to me.”
Moniz said the more love she puts into her handmade crafts, the more love her costumers derive from them because she is passing on her energy. She said she believes spreading love is something that needs to be done every month, not just February.
“This last year was such a horrible year for everyone,” Moniz said. “I think we could all use a little love this year. We all need to love each other.”