riverviewlogs | 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

*Lola is dressed modestly, to her estimation, when on the beach. Of course her outfit is still plenty showing. And with the hoodie open she's showing even more. So the idea of being at the beach so... dressed, and not even removing your gloves to eat, just doesn't work in Lola's mind.*

...You aren't dying under all of that after being out here?

*Subtle, Lola.*

[ In all honesty, she really is. It's just as painful as it looks, especially under the weather they've volunteered to be under. One, for a brief moment, wishes she would've worn something like that. ]

As much as anyone else.

[ But that doesn't outweigh her desire to leave her bare skin covered. ]

It's better I wear this than anything else if I'm doing repairs.

Nobody else is covered from head to toe in cloth, what fabrics are you wearing? That doesn't look like summer wear.

*Lola would need a closer look to be sure, but even being 'fully covered' could be done with lighter fabrics than those. Oh Lola's also going to get a closer look by ignoring personal space to study the fabrics making up that outfit that has no business on a beach.*

Not if you faint or something. You should probably go to one of the local shops and buy a new outfit... something that breathes better.

It's purpose isn't to be worn just in the summer. [ She's used to having her space invaded by her sisters, but not by strangers. One backs up when Lola leans in to inspect her clothes. Just enough to keep the space even, and enough to not appear rude. ] I'll be fine. You don't need to worry.

[ While she's confident in her ability to shoulder the weather, the suggestion at buying a new outfit catches her off guard. ]

I haven't.. [ She...can't really say she didn't have plans on buying a new outfit. ] I haven't bought one yet.

*Few things cause Lola to look properly horrified on a deep spiritual level. The concept people don't like her hastygram posts, the idea of ruining food by not paying attention in the kitchen, and wearing the same outfit all year.*

You... you have to be kidding. Just one outfit? Do you not have a home where you're from? No, that doesn't make sense, your hair is too nice.

*The idea actually has Lola a little angry the more she thinks about it.*

You really should get a summer outfit, you'll be less sweaty and more comfortable. You'll look nicer, and you won't have to worry about being so aware of... everything, you can relax and actually experience things. Not just worry if you'll faint from not having enough water.

[ She presses her lips together, mulling over what to properly address first before opening her mouth. As much as she wants to defend her clothes, she also feels like she doesn't need to with the way this girl answers her own question.

So she waits patiently until she's finished, hands on her lap. ]

I'm always aware of everything, regardless of my clothes. [ She takes off her shawl in defeat, leaving it on the table in front of them. ] You have a point. I'm not as familiar with the weather here as I was in my world. But I'm stuck for now-- I can't just leave to go buy new clothes.

Sure we can, we'd be back in like twenty minutes, thirty tops. Since you only have the one outfit I can just use what you're wearing to figure out what want. Easy.

*Fortunately One is in the presence of someone who turned shopping for clothes into both an art form and a competitive sporting event.*

I'm Lola. We'll be back in a flash, promise.

..I am One.

[ It's said, after a rather hard stare pointed in Lola's direction and a grab at her shawl on the table. She's relenting only because this is out of necessity!! Not because she's actually mildly intrigued by the idea itself. ]

And if we're one second past thirty minutes, I'll hold you accountable.

*Now, Lola knows it would be rude to comment about One's name. Because that's a weird name that makes counting and other stuff complicated with her around. Like, there are a million mistakes waiting to happen. Just, the idea of someone named One waiting tables designated by number is horrifying. So Lola's going to just wear all those thoughts on her face and not say any of them.*

Okay One, I think I can manage that! Provided you don't dawdle trying on what I pick out.

*Lola slips her phone out her hoodie's pocket and pokes at it a few moments, narrowing down which store is the best bet for this. And within five minutes from the river.*

This way!

*She's getting to go shopping with a new (potential) friend, Lola couldn't be happier!*

introductory mingle: RIVER FESTIVAL

Cleaning Up, II

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