Republished from WinCity Voices.
September 4, 2024 | Pete Koutoulas
When I last wrote about Shannon Tipton, she insisted that — contrary to what some of her detractors have said, she is “not a witch.” That would seem self-evident to most people, but a few rabble-rousers in the area had accused her not only of being a witch but also of being a devil-worshiper.
Eventually, however, she just decided to go with the witch thing. She even printed T‑shirts with the words, “I’m friends with the Witch of Winchester,” which can be purchased at her shop. Full disclosure: both my wife and I bought shirts.
“People are going to say whatever they want to about me anyway, so I might as well embrace it,” she told me this week. (She still denies any connection to the Prince of Darkness.)
For the uninitiated, Shannon’s business, the Crystal Coven Mystic Cottage, is a thriving metaphysical shop featuring an eclectic assortment of gifts, crystals and stones, herbs, incense, apparel, other curiosities and accouterments of the metaphysical, as well as more mainstream arts and crafts produced by local craftspeople.
The shop, which has drawn customers from the local region and even other states, recently won two awards in the Winchester Sun’s “Best of Clark County 2024” campaign: Best Gift Shop and Best New Business.
I interviewed Shannon for information about a charity event in October hosted by the Crystal Coven. She has a long history of fundraising for people and nonprofits in need. As she embraces the witch theme and continues her charity work this year, she will host the “Witches and Queens of Halloween” on Saturday, October 19.
She describes the event as “a spooktacular evening filled with magic and fun.” The evening will feature a drag show, a silent auction, a catered dinner, and a bar. Shannon is picking up the tab for all expenses except the alcohol, and all other proceeds will go directly to two deserving Winchester nonprofits: Proud Town and Humanists of Winchester.
Attendees are encouraged but not required to come in costume. “Dress up or come as you are. We want everyone to have a great time and help support these wonderful charities,” she told me.
The event will occur in a vacant downtown property at 55 South Main Street. Space is limited, so tickets must be purchased in advance, and I hear they are going fast. Due to fire regulations, no one will be admitted once all tickets are sold. Previous drag shows in Winchester at much larger venues have sold out, so it’s very likely this one will do so as well.
Doors open at 7 PM, and food service begins at 7:30. The show will start at 8. The show features four well-known queens: Sasha Grant, Mya Pinion, Poly Tics, and Naomi Wilde. I’ve been told that Miss Niagara was otherwise engaged and sent her regrets.
More information, including ticket purchases, can be found here: Witches and Queens of Halloween Charity Event | Facebook.
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