http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Winterfest2011/FOL-11_2008.jpghttp://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Winterfest2011/FOL-04_2008.jpg

On December 16th at 11:00pm in a transformed and frosted wonderland of the Glen, a celebration of lights in the colder months begins.

Winter is often the most difficult season; the cold claims many. But we are reminded to hope with a celebration of illumination that transforms the white-blanketed Southern Glen into a mystic place of twinkling color and amazement. Many have created dazzling constructions from magic, technology and more to impress and enchant the warm-bundled guests for the evening.

Guests to the Festival of Lights that evening if feeling particularly brave and hearty can traverse a walking path that is long enough to give the most adventurous pause: coming close to the many bright constructions.

Siegh Ride Tours http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Winterfest2011/albany-cutter-front-w_000.jpg Private Sleigh rides for two For those who prefer more leisurely and romantic means, private sleighs painted luxuriously deep red, pulled by RhyDin's best bred horses and outfitted with plush cushions wrapped in matching color may be rented. Inside each sleigh are exquisite, thick, hand woven blankets donated generously by the GrangerGuild to keep couples warm on the ride through the lights.

To enjoy a private sleigh ride, guests are asked to pay a fee—of their own choosing—where all proceeds will 100% be donated to charities to benefit children and families during the long winter. Donations of coats, canned goods, monies, and wrapped Christmas gifts to give to those who may not have the pleasure of unwrapping anything this year are asked as fee. (Within reason of course.) Donations can be made at the start of the Sliegh ride or at the RhyDin Welcome Center, or with the RhyDin Welcome Center Volunteers littered all over the Winterfest grounds. Donators will be given a blue Winterfest card that shows they've donated and can access the private sleigh rides. Donations made on site will be regularly carried out and transported by festively decorated gold, silver and white dragons throughout the evening.

Free Sleigh Rides http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Winterfest2011/sleighride1.jpg For those who have already donated earlier this year, those who cannot afford to, or those with large families and gatherings there are free Sleigh rides that cost nothing but a smile! Sturdy and bright red wooden sleighs pulled by magnificent black horses are filled with the sweetest smelling Timothy Hay (and for those allergic, there are wagons with padded benches too!) Easily carrying ten to fifteen people each, these are also outfitted with the amazing GrangerGuild's blankets woven in various yuletide and Christmas cheer patterns as well as colors.

The Lights Once settled into the sliegh of their choice, guests will be astounded as they lift their gaze over the transformed Southern Glen. Companies, businesses and individuals to RhyDin who have made a simple donation in lieu of an entrance fee ( to The RhyDin branch of The Family Giving Tree to show off their creations) have filled the Glen with astounding creations, such as...



______________________________________ OOC

Q: What is this thread for" This thread is for player groups, players businesses, and individual players to showcase their creations of Lights for Winterfest's Festival of Lights on December 16th at 11:00PM in the Southern Glen. That way everyone participating that night have have a wonderful and perhaps even visual guide to all the amazing lights to be seen during the tours that evening!

Players may describe their light constructions with a written description, with photos or with both! Don't forget to mention who made the lights/what company they represent!

Q: Whyyyyy so early' :O Because last event I felt like I rushed everyone, this year I want to give everyone plenty of time to get their ideas going and get lots of chances to get them posted! And because I may be as excited about this as a two year old is staring at all the gifts wrapped under a tree. Maybe.

Q: Do the lights have to be electric/Magic/Something else? The only limit to how the lights shine is your imagination. Only thing that I ask is that they fit to RDI PG-13 chat guidelines.

Q: I can't make it to the Festival of Lights that night. How can I still participate" You can still participate by role playing right here in this thread!

Q: I want to create a light structure, but I want to do it anonymously. How can I do that" Just write me a PM with a description of whatever you want to add or donate anonymously and I'll try and post it A.S.A.P!

Q: I have a question not answered here. Please feel free to PM RDI Risa at any time, send me an email at RisaJones@aol.com, or send me an instant message via AOL/AIM to RisaJones. Thank you! Now go on, make this Winterfest an event that makes memories to last a character's life time!

It had taken the work of painstakingly meticulous workers from the RhyDin Welcome Center to create the light structure winding its way around the perimeter of the Glen, curving around trees and meeting at the heart of the clearing. The effort came not in the design's height but in its precision and timing. Each foot high post was equidistant from its neighbor with no exceptions. A small bulb sat at the top of each post timed to flash its carefully tinted color. Mixing pointillism with dominos the overall effect of the design was to give the appearance of a multicolor light racing its way from the tip of a Dragon's tail all the way to the only separately distinct structure of the Dragon's head in the heart of the Glen. When the blazing trail of lights, one hue rapidly bleeding into the next, reached the head a well-timed (and safely placed) burst of fire erupted from the open Dragon's mouth facing the tip of its tail, giving the appearance of sparking off a new round of lights racing forward to start the path all over again.

Four new structures are being built along the Festival of Lights pathway currently in preparation for the evening of December 16th. The first, a massive light arch to mark the beginning of the Festival of Lights where many, on foot or in sleigh will pass through on their way to the many enchanting sights, http://i.imgur.com/7MwTo.jpg

The second structure which—during the day none of them seem to hold much magic until they will be finished and lit at night—is an enchanting capture of Cinderella's coach. When finished and properly lit, the horses legs seem to prance and the carriage wheels 'spin,' http://i.imgur.com/zC40x.gif

The third is a charming light construction of a vintage rocking horse being pulled by two children. The lights flicker on and off to give the illusion of the horse gently swaying back and forth, http://i.imgur.com/ql45N.jpg

The fourth and last light construct is a display featuring the warmth of red candles and the delight of a poinsettia wreath. This display is nearly sixty feet tall and a fair bit more difficult to put together than the other displays, as safety for such a tall structure is #1 priority. http://i.imgur.com/u5YyA.gif

Below the glowing poinsettia leaves, the vintage horse, the Cinderella coach and the arch of lights only tiny, tiny plaques inserted through the snow and ground give any clue as to who sponsored these: Donated by J.M.

This modest display appeared overnight.

http://d17m2qbkkw7p85.cloudfront.net/prank/images/posts/UglyChristmasLightsPrank.jpg

Taking their cue from the approaching season, the children of Stardreamer House, under Ebon's guidance, have crafted a display showing a delight of all things winter: snowflakes falling, a polar bear walking through winter pines, and a happy family of snowmen.

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/3434/winterfestlights1.jpg http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/2094/winterfestlights2.jpg

As one of the many rogue residents of the roiling countryside that was the Southern Glen, a one miss Lilliana McClae couldn't let the lights festival pass her and her little slice of wagon-wheeled, forested home by, now could she? The lights display she'd seen going up thus far were indeed quite impressive, and while there were enough wagons sliding on merrily by, she saw a lack of seating for those lone lovers and small families taking evening strolls through the vast track of festival lighting. So, of course, one of the elusive-as-of-late gypsy witches' contributions were a trove of wooden benches, each crafted and bespelled with care to take even the heftiest of sitters, to line the path. Much like the lights decking the woodland halls, the benches too, were a miracle of illumination unto themselves...

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/pb-111012-festivalLights-jc-01.photoblog900.jpg

But that would not be her only contribution, oh no. Far from it. Lilliana was about everything another notch over what was anticipated. The gypsy witch was well aware folk had been noticing her absence, so if she was going to participate, she would make sure the Rhydin city knew her mark. At the near mid-point of the lights display, the fiery cherub had erected a semi circle of those lit up benches, and at it's center, a great, old oak had been entirely encased in the most glorious of lights. Fae-touched, some might dare even call it if they looked close enough....Lilliana didn't use electricity, but magic to illuminate her displays.

Those who couldn't see it would certainly feel it, because between the benches and the bright, eldritch oak, even the most human of passers-by would feel a cozy, unnatural warmth helping feed the feeling back into their cold noses, fingers, toes, and backsides.

http://students.egfi-k12.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/tree-lights.jpg

Last but not least, and partially inspired by the comedy of the lewd reindeer lights display, Lilliana had hired, dressed, and schooled a quartet of choice players to prance about and sing carols to improve cheer and moral throughout the lights stroll. CHOICE players mind, all with the voices of angels....even if the lacked the bodies to match. Their cheer was sure palpable though, if nothing else!

They call themselves the Sugar Plum-p Quatro.

http://growabrain.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/03/01/harbin_china.jpg

Any and all in need of the services of merriment, music, and cheer the S-P-Q have been known to bring, Lilliana has chosen to expand their loveliness to privately ordered sing-o-grams until the end of the season. Those in need, all they have to do is mail the gypsy a bit of post with the date, time, address, and recipient of said seasonal song-o-gram.

Merry Winterfest All!