Wesak Festival

"Dawn Fazende moved to Mount Shasta in 1993, and has since become the champion of several local causes. As a highly spiritual person, Dawn lives her life pursuing enlightenment and self-growth as she puts her organizational skills to work to promote those community issues that are close to her heart." She is the "director of Mount Shasta's annual Wesak Festival, and the founding editor-in-chief of Mount Shasta Magazine. Dawn recently began her own non-profit organization, Alliance for Humanity, as an umbrella for all these causes that she holds close to her heart.

"Born in New Orleans to a Roman Catholic family, Dawn "broke away" from her hometown and organized religion as soon as she came of age, she said, embracing what people now call the "New Age" movement. After making her way to Mount Shasta in 1993 under circumstances she described as "divinely orchestrated," Dawn said she felt guided to create a magazine that would showcase the sacred qualities of the mountain. "Mount Shasta Directions" was established in 1996, when Genny Axtman, publisher of Mount Shasta Area Newspapers, chartered the quarterly publication. In 1999, Dawn took over publication of the magazine herself. Now titled simply "Mount Shasta Magazine," Dawn continues the tradition of highlighting ideas of "cultural creatives" who seek alternative ways to connect with a higher power and to make a difference in the world.

"In 2003 Dawn was given the opportunity to continue the Wesak festival, which was initiated by Joshua Stone, a New Age spiritual leader, 15 years ago. Wesak attracts hundreds of people to Mount Shasta to "celebrate, renew their souls, and to learn" from New Age teachers and speakers who assist with personal development, Dawn said.

""Wesak is an event for people seeking conscious evoltion, but for the locals who wonder what the heck it is ...[Wesak] is all about calling attention to this area and bringing visitors and tourists to Mount Shasta to strengthen the economy," she said.

"Named for "the convergence of Buddha, Christ and other Masters in the Himalayan Wesak Valley each May," and celebrated variously in cultures throughout the world, Wesak is one of Mount Shasta's largest annual events."

Magazine
Listed Partners of Mount Shasta Magazine include: Ramtha's School of Enlightenment | Star Quest | Dr. Norma Milanovich | WhatTheBleep.com

Speakers at 2013 event
Accessed September 2013:

2013 Featured Speakers
 * Leonard Orr
 * Raymond Tarpey
 * Stephen Mehler
 * Meg Blackburn Losey
 * Joseph Martin

2013 Speakers
 * Jude Unegbu
 * Joanna Cherry
 * Markus Thorndike
 * Meg Benedicte
 * MiRa El

Contact
Web: http://wesak.us/index.php