Halloween Weekend Psychic Fair beguiles a crowd

The air around Lewis Park in Warwick crackled with enchantment earlier this week during the town’s Halloween Weekend Psychic Fair, an event hosted by Crystal of Quartz, that celebrated all matters of mystical manner.

“We think it was one of our best fairs that we’ve ever had,” said Rihannon Rapp, an event manager for Crystal of Quartz. The business was founded by Syndey Edwards in 2015 and got its first storefront in Greenwood Lake in 2019, specializing in metaphysical merchandise and activities. Other events Crystal of Quartz has hosted include moon circles, tarot reading classes and ritual baths.

“We really pride ourselves on having a huge community,” said Rapp.

Between October 29 and 30, the fair boasted over 60 booths of fantastical and foresightful flavors. After paying the $5 fee, attendees could wander among various vendors selling gemstones, jewelry, clothing, plushies, and other hand-crafted wares. Or perhaps they sought a healer to cleanse their spirit through a ritual.

“It’s a nice blend of vendors and a nice way of spending a beautiful October day,” said Patrick Brennan, 58, a visitor from New Jersey who appreciated the jewelry and artisan goodies.

“It’s been a really nice two days here...it’s been great to interact with all the people of Warwick, said Jack Hill, a vendor of For the Love of Toffee from Ridgewood, New Jersey. Hill has previously vended in the area and interacting with vendors and visitors alike appeals to him.

Several psychics provided their extrasensory services, whether they read tarot cards, interpreted dreams, or simply glimpsed the future.

“I started reading cards when I was a kid...it’s natural, it’s just like reading a book,” said Jill Ayers, a tarot reader from Hopatcong, New Jersey, who’s been telling stories through cards for over 40 years. When reflecting on her time in the field, she recounted a particular reading with a twist reveal.

“The cheater card came up, and the woman said ‘yeah, I’m the one doing the cheating.’ And I was just like ‘oh, okay.’ We read from there,” Ayers said.

Jennifer Brown, a resident of New Jersey, is a fellow psychic who’s dabbled in visionary powers for her entire life.

“I was kinda born with...I always knew stuff that I wasn’t supposed to know,” Brown said. “I used to like watching Sylvia Browne and psychics on TV and cry and just hope that one day, I will be able to fulfill my purpose to be doing this,” she said.

Before she started her business, Divine Intuitions, Brown worked at a toll booth, and there she saw her most memorable vision: the spirit of her coworker’s deceased brother.

“I saw this guy wiping the snow off her car...she brought this guy into work, and I was pissed off. I was like ‘why is she bringing this guy to work?’... She said, ‘I didn’t bring anyone to work,’ and I was like ‘no, I saw him.’ So I described him and she just started crying,” Brown said. She did not like “reading” while working at the toll booth, but she used this opportunity to relay what her coworker’s brother wanted to tell her before dying.

“I gave her all the messages at the end...it was a couple days before this gentleman’s birthday, so I guess I gave him a present,” she said.

And what does Crystal of Quartz foresee for its future? The business closed down its Greenwood Lake location last month and bought a bigger space in Vernon, New Jersey last January. Despite moving, Crystal of Quartz will continue holding events in the Warwick area.

“I definitely love seeing all the people come together and the amount of healing that we can provide, and creating such a beautiful safe community space for all walks of life,” Rapp said.