Spring Bazaar and Festival Discussion Thread

[WarderDragon]

Spring Bazaar and Festival Discussion Thread

Tonight Citizens of Britain and Dawn gathered to discuss the upcoming Faire with Event Moderator Seppo.

Discussion centered around the theme and opening ceremonies. The Faire is to be a Shard Wide Effort that showcases the varied conventions that set Baja apart from other servers and communities.

Festivities are to be held on the 28th of this month. Time is estimated to be between 4:00 - 7:00 PM PST pending discussion. (3 Hours.)

The next committee will meet on Saturday, May the 7th at 3:00 PM PST. The location will be the Event Moderator Hall in Northern Britain.

Consideration 1 - The Opening Event.

We discussed an opening event - something scripted and practiced - to begin the Faire.

One option is a Dance around the Festival Pole. Something we would practice IC. Another is for the Knights of the Realm to enter in a boastful procession while passing between two flames of purification.

(I suggest research be done on real world Beltane and Imbolc Rituals - as well as the SCA and Renaissance Faires - before the details are set in stone. The above might provide ...inspiration.)​

Consideration 2 - Theme.

EM Seppo expressed his desire for this event to showcase the varied tropes and fictional conventions of Baja. The Yattering. The Chickens. Sake. The Dark Moon. Enormous Pets. So on and so fourth.

(I suggest that the Spring Festival be based on real world Spring Faires and Events centered around this Season. Beltane. Walpurgis Night. Renaissance Faires. There are numerous real world traditions to draw upon for inspiration and event ideas.)​

Consideration 3 - Tournement.

EM Seppo expressed his desire for a Best Shot Robin Hood Tournement to be held during the event.

We would need to consult with M!S who would be the obvious canidates for hosting the event. (Unless - of course - the Best Shot Tournement and the Festival are held on the same evening.)

There are other Challenges and Games that can also be implemented during the Faire.​

Consideration 4 - Time.

We need to decide what time of evening would be best for all parties - and the Shard - as a whole. The current proposed time is 4:00 PM PST / 7:00 PM EST.

The goal is for the Festival to be no more than 3 Hours. (5 if a Best Shot in the Realms Tournement is held the same evening.)​

Consideration 5 - Town Guard Ritual Promotion.

The Town Guard is to receive their promotions during the event.​

 

[WarderDragon]

Spring Festival and Beltane Rites and Traditions

There are several notable traditions associated with Beltane - the Fire Festival - and Spring.

See Beltane and Imbolc.

Celtic Reconstructionists celebrate Beltane when the hawthorn plant is in bloom. Perhaps something similar can be growing around Britain - and Skara Brae - in the week leading up to the Festival. (Imbolc is celebrated when the Blackthorne plant is in bloom.)

Bonfires are also a major part of Spring Festivals. One tradition is to douse the fire on ones hearth to signal the End of Winter - the period when the world has died - and help to light the communal Bonfire to signal the rebirth of the World. (Or the Life - Death - Rebirth Figure.) The dousing might remain a RPed element done outside the Festival. But a Bonfire is something that can be lit at some point during the Faire to signal this transition. (Eternal Flame Graphic used for Veteran Reward Braziers.)

Edward Dwelly in Bealltuinn (1911) describes a 1 May custom of his day, practised in the Scottish Highlands, where young people met on the moors, lighted a bonfire and made an oatmeal cake toasted at the embers. The cake was divided, one of the pieces marked with charcoal, and, drawing the pieces blindfolded, the person who got the marked piece was compelled to leap over the flames three times.

In Gaelic folkore, the village's cattle were driven between two fires to purify them and bring luck (Eadar dà theine Bhealltainn in Scottish Gaelic, 'Between two fires of Beltane'). This term is also found in Irish and is used as a turn of phrase to describe a situation which is difficult to escape from. In Scotland, boughs of juniper were sometimes thrown on the fires to add an additional element of purification and blessing to the smoke. People would also pass between the two fires to purify themselves.​

 

[WarderDragon]

The Festival Pole and the May Queen

See Maypole and the May Queen.

 

[WarderDragon]

I found these to be ...entertaining. Video of a Northern California Renaissance Faire and a Beltane Fire Festival.

There is more than one ample bosom depicted below. Nothing I consider offensive. But then I am shameless. Consider yourself warned.

[YOUTUBE]WIXo3VHH910[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]EgYdTmPLzqM[/YOUTUBE]

 

[WarderDragon]

Fern had suggested a King and Queen of the Faire be selected for the Festivities.

She might have been on to something. See the the Green Man and the May Queen.

[Youtube]FF6LQT3SikY[/Youtube]

 

[EMSeppo]

Mesanna has created two possibilities for maypoles at the Fairegrounds. Please, take a look. I believe specific hues can be changed. I personally prefer the string one, but other one is quite decent too.

 

[Girl Scout Edith]

Placing some creeping vines and small flowers instead of string might dress it up a bit too! A bouquet at the end of each pole might be pretty too. Can there be 2 more poles added so that there are a total of 8 stringy things?

 

[EMSeppo]

I will look into it. We will definitely place flowers and such around it.

Speaking of flowers, I believe Proserpina and WildStar were going to help with springifying the fairegrounds? We should arrange a time to meet for that soon.