introductory mingle: RIVER FESTIVAL

[riverviewmod]

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

navigation

Comments

A.

[threatenwithcuteness]

*Eventually Lola will get used to not everyone knowing how to dress for the beach. But this is her first beach season in the Quarantine, and she isn't used to it yet. Or thinking about how many people just arrived and don't have stuff yet. Still, Lola's dressed for the beach. Her hair is a light mint green to go with the outfit as she wanders around. So of course finds a kid, she can tell Laura is a kid because the two are exactly the same height.*

Do you not have a swimsuit? Did you just arrive.

*Lola smiled, she's very friendly and completely unarmed... and soft looking. She's pretty much the least threatening thing unless there's a newborn kitten on the beach.*

[shoplifter]

[Laura turns sharply, her stance not someone who knows how to entirely handle sudden attention on her — she's still a bit on edge, her last memories of him adrenaline-fueled and tormenting her atr times (daddy, she thinks sometimes, why couldn't you just-). Laura knows better than to judge someone on what they look like, considering her own fighting prowess, but... the girl really does just look like she's here to enjoy the beach, too. The beach, real, right here in front of her.

Laura looks the girl up and down, a bit confused at what she's wearing, brow furrowing behind her large and oh so stylish glasses.]

A — swimsuit?

[threatenwithcuteness]

*See, this was weird. The girl was wearing normal clothes, not like One or some of the others she's met. But she didn't know what a swimsuit was? Maybe she was from somewhere cold, or deserty? Lola didn't know.*

Um, like this? If you're going swimming you want something that won't take on a lot of water weight. Plus at the beach it gets really warm so a lot of clothes are just uncomfortable anyway.

There's styles that are more covering, if that's a concern. I know mine is really skimpy.

[shoplifter]

[Skimpy? What is 'skimpy'? She cocks her head slightly, looking at the swimsuit again with some confusion. Covering, yes. People genuinely aren't fond of being naked in front of other people; she can understand that, though she's more than familiar with being uncomfortable in front of the Transgien workers. They only see them as weapons there, after all; there's no such thing as modesty.

The nurses helped combat it, though. She glances back at the water.]

... It is not dangerous?

[threatenwithcuteness]

*Is it dangerous? That's a very odd question. Well, maybe not too odd for someone who doesn't know what a swimsuit is. Probably hasn't gone swimming before.*

It's... just water, I mean you can drown if you don't know how to swim. But it isn't full of sharks or anything.

You've never been swimming before, have you?

[shoplifter]

[Ah. She hates to admit weakness in any particular area, but... She nods. It's true, she's never had a reason. Being in a building for your life, it does things to you. She considers the ocean with some curiosity.]

Sharks live in the water, though, sí?

[threatenwithcuteness]

*Well, maybe she shouldn't have mentioned sharks.*

Yes but not, like, all water. No sharks here, I don't think.

*Now Lola's worrying about sharks. She shakes it off after a moment.*

The city makes a big deal out of this summer festival, I doubt they'd do that if sharks went around eating people on the river.

Is Spanish your first language, or English?

[shoplifter]

... First.

[No sharks, then. Good. She'd have to have a fight in water, and she really doesn't want to try and fight in water. Especially when learning how to swim hasn't really been a thing that's happened yet. Transgien liked to prepare them for all manner of thing, but that hadn't been on the schedule by the time they shut down the project. She quiets for a moment, to the point where it almost seems like she's done talking to her; but then, looking at the ocean, she says:]

Festival is... eating food?

[threatenwithcuteness]

We can switch to Spanish if you wish?

*Lola was born in Argentina, and her Spanish is still quite good. Hence figuring out Laura from just how she spoke. Even without her using Si. She smiles.*

There's lots of food at festivals, yes, do you wanna go and get some? I know where the best food carts are around the river.

[shoplifter]

[Ah. She brightens just slightly before speaking in spanish--]

I would like that.

... Were you native-speaking? I was born in Mexico.

[threatenwithcuteness]

*Lola smiles a little, her Spanish isn't too rusty, she hasn't had too much use for it in the Quarantine.*

Let me grab my purse so we can get some food.

Yes, I was born in Argentina. I moved to Canada when I was four. But we always spoke Spanish at home. How long have you been learning English?

[shoplifter]

[Laura gives a shrug, thinking of Gabriela and the other nurses. The lessons, cold and detached, by their instructors. Tests, surgeries, training — After a moment, she says:]

For a long time. I don't remember when I started.

They said it was important to know.

[threatenwithcuteness]

*Lola picked up her purse, shoes, and hoodie. Then motioned toward a direction. She was expecting a fun day at the beach so she packed light.*

They? Anyway, yes, English gets used a lot, and between it and Spanish you should be okay with most of North America and Europe. At least to get by.

Any preference on what type of food?

[shoplifter]

[Laura adjusts her backpack straps, looking at the purse with a bit of curiosity.

It's not quite the travel gear she's used to, you know?]

... I like all the food.

[A pause, as she looks back.]

I like... Pringles.

[threatenwithcuteness]

*Lola's not carrying her world with her. Well, she is, but her world is her phone, wallet, and some make-up.*

Let's go with the burger cart then, they have all sorts of chips and fries they make and bring along.

[shoplifter]

Fries? What are fries?

[Laura's priorities are in the right place.]

[threatenwithcuteness]

...Wow you really aren't used to normal stuff. You'll see, if you like pringles you'll definitely like fries.

*These are great priorities who would argue with them.*

[shoplifter]

[Definitely not me, that's for sure.]

Are they your favorite?

[threatenwithcuteness]

*Favorite food, that's a loaded question.*

One of my favorites. I like a lot of different food, and my absolute favorite changes based on my mood. Like right now? I definitely want a burger.

*Lola's just going to walk up to the food cart. Think for half a second, then order two burgers, four bags of chips in various flavors, and a large order of fries.*

[shoplifter]

[Oh, changes in mood. She doesn't quite understand that herself yet -- mostly, she just makes due with anything that looks remotely tasty, out in the real world. Then again, her nose makes everything appetizing. Her stomach gurgles at the thought alone.]

You eat something different if you're angry?

[threatenwithcuteness]

*It takes a few minutes for the food to be ready, but once it is Lola takes the tray and leads for a table.*

...Ice cream. You can't eat it too fast, and it's all sweet and creamy so it kinda is the perfect thing to calm down after being really angry at someone.

*Lola has not murdered several pints of ice cream over her friends before, nope. Not at all. And no, Lola did not even spare a thought as to why a small child would ask about anger eating before any other eating.*

[shoplifter]

[Oh, Laura is plenty familiar with trays, with lines. She grabs one, mildly discomforted by the familiarity.]

I've heard of ice cream. It's very cold, right?

[threatenwithcuteness]

Cold and sweet, but flavorful! Although here some ice cream is sour or savory because alien milk.

*Fortunately it is a tray of food, and not a serving line. The tray has multiple bags of chips, a burger, and fries. And two soft drinks because giving a kid caffeine is okay right?*

So... did you ditch your caseworker?

[shoplifter]

[Ooooh. She's more than interested in that tray.

But even she has some level of manners. Even just a little.]

She's very easy to... 'ditch'.

[threatenwithcuteness]

Go on, have some. I did get this to share with you.

*Lola's going to have some fries. She's not starved so she'll just wait and eat some of what this child leaves behind after she's done. If anything. And if nothing, seconds can be gotten, or Lo can just go home and cook. Like an adult.*

Mine is more hands off cause I'm a bit older. He makes sure I'm not working too hard but I only see him every few weeks. I'm Lola.