riverviewlogs | introductory mingle: RIVER FESTIVAL

Entry tags:

introductory mingle: RIVER FESTIVAL

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: Introductory Log and River Festival
when: The month of August; the bulk of celebration will be in week 1, but there is a party and fireworks display on August 14th.
where: Anywhere around the city.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

river festival

In the days leading up to August 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: The River Festival. This holiday is in celebration of the river and the life that it gives to the city, as well as the heat of summer and forming bonds with friends, family, and romantic partners. The celebrations are marked by a community-wide cleanup of the docks and beaches along the river - particularly important considering the recent acid rain - as well as beachfront cookouts and parties (both private and city sponsored) and beach sports tournaments happening on either open stretches of beach or in special clothing-optional beaches, all capped off with fireworks displays on the evenings of August 7th and 14th.

a celebration of the river and togetherness

Following the hedonism of Carnivale, it's time for something a little more low-key and relaxing. The River Festival happens every year in August, and is geared toward community building through cleaning up the beaches and docks along the river and then using all that freshly cleaned beach to gather on. During the first week of August, there are various lightly-themed government-sponsored beach cookouts and parties geared toward family, romantic dates, or casual all-ages get-togethers for meeting new friends; there are also a few more racy parties at clothing-optional beaches around the city. Many private residents also take this time to gather together friends and family, and have cookouts on the beach with all the typical trappings of the beach barbecue. There are also various casual sports tournaments sponsored by community centers, gyms, and sports teams in the city, featuring prizes ranging from notoriety to sports equipment to big bucks. Finally, there are two fireworks displays, one on August 7th and one on August 14th, with free food, and various live performers beforehand.

i. cleaning up

The holiday starts off on a note that is just a bit more sombre than the rest of the season, with the cleanup efforts following late July's strange fog and acid rain blending into the usual tradition of cleaning up beaches and docks along the river. The cleanup is a group effort, with every citizen who is physically able pitching in to comb the beaches, where they pick up fallen tree limbs, garbage, and anything else that's accumulated during the winter and spring, and then raking the beaches to make them clean and ready to use. The cleanup of the docks is similar, with residents sweeping and hosing them down where necessary. This year, there are a lot of repairs to be made to beachfront structures that might've been damaged by the acid rain, so if anyone has some carpentry or building skills, those would definitely come in handy.

This is meant to be a community building effort, so many businesses in the area, more well-to-do private citizens, and the government have pitched in funding to provide lunches, cold drinks, coffee or tea, and snacks to anyone who's helping out with the cleanup efforts. All in all, the cleanup has a very friendly, welcoming vibe.

ii. cookouts and parties

The main traditions of the River Festival involve cookouts and beach parties. On August 7th and August 14th, the government as well as various corporations and businesses in the city, will be providing funds for large beach gatherings. On these days, there will be booths set up offering wares and freebies from various businesses around the city that have helped fund the party, large swaths of cleared beach where residents can don a swimsuit and catch some rays or swim in the river, massive barbecue setups to provide partygoers with all the standard barbecue fare, beach sports tournaments, dancing and musical performances, and fireworks displays (see prompts below).

The holiday isn't just about these big parties, though - many residents arrange their own barbecues, cookouts, beach camping trips, beach bonfires, and other riverside gatherings and outings. Many riverfront businesses offer discounts on services such as canoe or kayak rentals to go out paddling on the river, jetski or motorboat rentals for tubing, wakeboarding, or waterskiing, or mounts to take romantic rides in the surf. Additionally, there is an adults-only section of the beach where any of these activities can be done in the nude in a clothing-optional setting, including the big city-sponsored parties.

iii. sportsball tournaments

Is your character good at playing a particular sport that could, conceivably, be played on a beach? Chances are that during the month of August, a tournament will be set up for them to participate in. The tournaments are pretty standard, generally sponsored by community centers, sports clubs and teams, gyms, and other organizations and businesses in the city, with various levels of specialization, and levels of skill or competitiveness. The prizes also vary, with everything from plain old bragging rights to sports equipment or passes to gyms and community centers, to large lump sums of cash money. Definitely worth it, for characters with a love for sport.

Oh, and a lot of these tournaments are happening on the adults-only clothing-optional beaches, for those grown-up sports fans who like a bit of an extra challenge.

iv. performances and fireworks

On August 7th and August 14th at the end of the large city-sponsored beach parties, there will be evening performances all along the beach. Not as extensive as the musical performances during Carnivale, there are two large-name performers per night, with various lesser-known groups performing at random off and on throughout the day and night. Areas of the beach are cleared for residents to watch and dance to the music, both on the regular and adults-only clothing-optional beaches (acts will switch off between the two areas so both areas get both performances).

Player-characters who are musical artists, DJs, or otherwise perform are free to set up shop around this party and panhandle or put on free performances for publicity.

After the sun goes down, boats will head out into the water carrying a variety of fireworks, and there will be a beautiful display of exploding color in the sky for residents to watch and enjoy. The fireworks are highly advanced, incorporating old-fashioned gunpowder as well as modern technology that result in really beautiful displays that can take the breath away!

v. roommates or wildcard

Feel free to use this prompt to meet new roommates, for the purpose of getting to know each other, or hit up one of the mod-posted prompts for each Communal Floor. Or if you have an idea for a prompt that isn't in this list, set during the River Festival, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: image i: credit unknown; image ii: Albert Ramon Puig; image iii: Claudio Pilia; image iv: Alan Philips

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Please check out Ed's CRAU info & permissions post, especially if you're canon familiar - as this Ed might be different from expectations and certainly does not appear as he would in canon. (Most importantly, he's taller, has longer hair and happens to be 21-years-old so he's also a bit quieter overall.) He's also out on the beach fully clothed in his usual outfit, black leather pants, black jacket over a black vest and white gloves. Feel free to notice he's not appropriately dressed for the beach.]

i. cleaning up:

When Yuffie had made a point of dragging him to yet another event, Ed was not entirely pleased. Although he hadn't argued that she was due at least two more dates (why argue? She wasn't going to listen anyway) he was hardly interested in some beach party. Sand and water were not really the greatest thing for automail, and since he couldn't swim it certainly limited his ability to enjoy things. At least there would be free food.

Of course, once they arrived it was Ed that was in his element. More than happy to move around the beaches and help clean up where alchemy could be used to offer assistance. He made quick work of clearing debris, sweeping and hosing things down. His real talents would shine when he helped repair some of the buildings - clapping his hands together with the crackle of electric blue light as anything he touched after seemed to fix itself under his fingertips. To some this might be a chore, something that had to be done in order to earn the enjoyment later, but for Ed this alone made attending worth it. He could spend the entire time focused on this if someone didn't drag him away to do something else, repairing and creating things was what he did best.

ii. cookouts and parties / iv. performances:

Between Ed's obvious discomfort with the large crowd and the additional bodies that could be found in the river, it wasn't long before he would find himself tailed by the same familiar creature as usual. Simply being near the river was enough to bring it out sometimes, but with all of the excessive commotion the Milotic wasn't going to sit idly by when it could tag along after the person it arrived here with. It wasn't often Ed arrived at the beach, so the Pokemon spent a great deal of time in the wild without much human interaction.

For his part, Edward seemed oblivious to the Pokemon's existence, ignoring or outright avoiding it. However, if someone was aware of them long enough, or at just the right moment, they might catch him interacting with the water snake. Sometimes speaking to it, offering food or even leaning against it if no one seemed to be paying attention.

[Ed is also available at the party, cookout and performances without the Milotic if you'd prefer to tag him alone - just let me know, tags can come in before it shows up!]

iv. fireworks:

He'd agreed to attend the fireworks with Yuffie so chances are he could be found with her during the evening. In particular settled somewhere comfortable with a good view, resting against the Milotic once more as if it were a living couch to watch the festivities from. Knowing Yuffie she'd run off at random to grab more food or stick her nose into someone else's business, so anyone is free to happen upon Ed alone while he's waiting for her return. Fireworks at a festival was not an alien concept for the Elrics, but it wasn't a pleasant one either, and he made an effort to simply enjoy the set up without letting his mind wander to events that were ten years ago now, long done and over with.

v. wildcard:

[Throw something else at him, I'm flexible! Add me or hit me up on plurk to discuss if you'd like:

TransmutedSelf. If a character might pry about Ed's sulky mood at the fireworks, please be warned his canon does deal with murder and this may come up. Let me know if you have any questions or want something else!]

vi. Floor six:

[Prompt for floor six, or if you want me to tag you in the mingle thread, let me know on plurk! I'm open to options!]

[ it's been a long time since al's seen fireworks for his brother, even if they weren't an altogether strange thing for the elrics. and with yuffie off getting food or something, al took the chance to snuggle up to his brother, drawing close so they could watch the bloom of lights in the sky. it's comfortable, relaxing even after the hectic-ness that had been the raid on the temple, and al enjoyed it thoroughly. with an ice cream cone in hand, he's settled next to ed, leaning over to offer some to his brother. ]

This is nice, isn't it? It's been a while since we've done something like this.

[ the day has been long but nice. spending time on the beach was something the elrics did a lot as small children, but in recent years, it had been all but impossible given neither could swim like they used to. there's a little bit of a sunburn coloring the bridge of al's nose, but it doesn't bother him in the least because he's too content and happy just being in his brother's presence after enjoying a long day. ]

[After being on the go since he first arrived here, this was a nice change of pace. Not over the top, no dancing, and nothing dangerous, just quiet. It doesn't remind him of nights out on the roof watching the sky with Wrath until Al offered the ice cream. Ed smiled, shaking his head some, gaze still lifted to the display above them.]

You eat it...

[He had to laugh at his brother's words, nudging a shoulder to his in response.]

It is, and if the last few months are a sign there'll be plenty more like this coming. It's nice to be able to slow down and take a break for awhile... This place doesn't really give you an option with how big and frequent these things are.

[Ed grinned, clearly enjoying himself - unlike the masq, he made no pretenses over whether or not he was having fun.]

I'm glad I get to share it with you, Al.

[ the nudge makes him sway a little, but it's a comforting sensation, one he rolls with as he gives his ice cream little kitten licks. he wants to enjoy this moment with ed, with the ice cream, maybe even see it stretch out for eternity. it reminds him of quiet nights studying by candle light, reading their father's books, and recovering from fights. he releases a low hum and gazes at ed with undisguised affection.

the lights of the fireworks glint off ed's luminescent eyes and make his hair gleam. it's breathtaking sight and before al can stop himself, he reaches out to trail his fingers along his brother's jaw. ]

Me too, Brother. It doesn't matter to me what comes. We have this moment together.

[His gaze lowers at the touch, glancing at Al curiously. The lost memories from the effects over the city meant he wasn't so resistant to touching his brother, not when the flashbacks of killing him didn't surface every time he even thought of it - but he didn't forget everything. He knew that this version of his brother was more touchy than the others, he had to wonder briefly if it was because he was younger - not by very much, but enough that he hadn't really spent any time with Ed before arriving here. The others had been to Germany, they lived together before Al arrived in Purg.

Either way he tried not to dwell on it, it didn't seem like a detail worth investing too much thought in. Al was Al and he wasn't about to start reading too much into his every action. As long as he was there, and happy to be there, Ed was just as glad.

At the other's words he shoves the thought aside that despite them, Ed knew that Al wanted to go home. Return to a world with the brother he left behind there, and sometimes Ed wondered if he could ever really be sure that was his own future and not some alternate reality he'd never have. Abandoning his brother for some alien world was such a difficult concept for him to grasp, he almost didn't believe it could be something he'd do.

He shifted, leaning against Al some with a content sigh, determined to just enjoy things for a change and take whatever else as it came with a faint smile.]

We do have that... and anything that does, we'll get through it together. Like we always do.

[ if it's strange for him to be so affectionate, al didn't notice. it seemed normal, even fine to scoot close to his brother and bask in his presence. to reach out and trail his fingers along a firm jaw or along the nape of ed's neck. his fingers linger there a moment, recalling how ed had bound his soul to that armor, at approximately the same spot, and al can't help but wish that he had some mark to acknowledge the sacrifice his brother made to resurrect him fully.

but he had no regrets. not now, not after everything. this might not be the same brother he intended to find in the gate, but it was still ed, and al craved every small bit of affection he could steal from his brother. it didn't quite make up for the four years being unable to feel or touch, but it helped a lot. ]

Mm, like we always do. I'm glad to be here with you, Brother. I missed you a lot, even when I couldn't remember everything. I wanted so much to be able to see you again. To hug you. To know what it was like to feel the warmth of your skin. Remember, that? I can finally feel you.

Edward Elric | OTA | Willing to match format

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iv. Fireworks~

<3

(*^.^*)

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(^.^)