2025 Michaél Festival with a Special Full-Circle Story

Every year, like so many Waldorf schools across the globe, PWS prepares for and cherishes our Michaél Festival. This festival is celebrated during the changing of the seasons in September and honors the archangel Michael as a living image of courage and clarity.

In Waldorf tradition, it is a time to summon inner bravery, to steady our hearts, and to meet life’s challenges with trust in the greater rhythms of the cosmos. It is also within the Waldorf tradition that St. George is the slayer of the dragon with Michaél’s sword.

Although we warmly welcome our community to attend, this pageant has traditionally been celebrated within the school, created as a special experience for students, by students. Through song and ceremony, they share the meaning of the festival with one another. This year brought a beautiful full-circle moment: one of our seniors, who stepped into the role of St. George, was the first grader chosen to hand the sword to St. George 11 years ago. Pictured below, you’ll see her in 2014 passing the sword as a first grader (left) and this year embodying St. George (right).

Moments like these add to the richness and beauty of our community.

Thank you, Brady Romberg, for capturing these photos of the festival. You can read more about Michaelmas here, as explained by our School Director, Chiaki Uchiyama.