Fantasy Faire: your shorthand guide to 2018

The largest fantasy-related event to take place in Second Life, Fantasy Faire, opened its gates to 2018 on Thursday, April 19th, and will remain open through until  Sunday, April 29th, 2018 inclusive. It brings together fantasy enthusiasts, creators, performers and designers for eleven days of commerce, special events, and live music concerts, with special emphasis on fund-raising for Relay for Life of Second Life.

This year marks the Faire’s 10th anniversary, and presents 15 regions (including the entertainment and Quest regions) to be explored and enjoyed, and a packed programme of activities and events. It also marks the start of a new chapter in the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) work.

For the first time, fund-raisers are allowed to earmark donations for a special project they have chosen to support – and Fantasy Faire is the flagship event to launch this new approach within virtual worlds. As I was able to report earlier in April, all funds raised during Fantasy Faire 2018 will go towards to development and operation of a new Hope Hostel to care for cancer patients and their care givers, at the Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya.

Once again, the Faireland regions offer an impressive range of realms and ideas, from what might be regarded as “traditional” fantasy – we have a former realm of elves for example, in The Bazaar Dungeon, while The Pools of Ethuil echo elven tree-homes – through to and almost science fiction edge to things with Erstwhile, a grand spaceport sitting within the bowl of a flooded crater, great trading space vessels docked along its elevated rim.  Elsewhere there are echoes of past Fantasy Faire events. Atherea, for example has a faint visual echo of 2012’s The Tides and a thematic reflection of 2013’s Magnificat.

You can find the background notes on all the 2018 Faireland regions here, or by visiting their individual pages on the Fantasy Faire website.

Of course, as well as all the best in fantasy shopping, Fantasy Faire offers just about something for everyone. There’s  the Literary Festival, which is based at The Halls of Story and which I previewed earlier in April. There is also the Fantasy Faire Quest. Then there are the auctions. The silent auction runs throughout the Faire and there will be details available shortly, while the Live Auction will take place on the final day of the Faire again, watch the Faire’s website for details and a chance to own one or more extremely rare items from this year’s event!

Role-Play! Once again there will be numerous opportunities for role-play within the Fairelands. Three groups are offering themed role-play, weaving tales and offering anyone with an interest with the chance to participate.

• The NeoVictoria Project presents A Visit to Mrs. Chickenstalkers, taking place at Athenaeum Arcana. Find out more via the role-play backstory and by following the Daily Updates once the role-play commences.
• Sanctuary will be presenting a dark themed role-play located on Severina.
• While the folks from Escapades Island will be leading the Magpies at the Bazaar Dungeon.

But that’s not all! In addition to these three, there is a new role-play feature for Fantasy Faire 2018. The denizens of Luth will have opened an embassy in the land of Severina, where they will be holding a regular series of Meet’n’Greets offering fairelanders can meet their representatives and learn more about their stories.

Also new to Fantasy Faire 2018 is table-top gaming! prospective GMs have the opportunity to host a game session (or two), all while raising funds for the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life.

And, of course, there will be the popular role-play classes, this year located at Falls of Hope. See the class schedule for more.

Performance and Art: there is a full programme of art and performance events, to be found at The Story Well and Astrid’s Nemeton. Some 37 artists are exhibiting their images at Fantasy Faire 2018, and there will be a range of performances by some of the top dance troupes from across Second Life, including Misfit Dance, the Avilion MerBallet company, the Changhigh Sisters, DRUM, Luxe Girls and more. See the Performance events list for more, including dates and times.

The Fairelands Players are also back again for 2018, presenting two of Shakespeare’s plays:

• A Midsummer’s Night Dream at Astrid’s Nemeton, 14:00 SLT, Friday 20th and 09:00 SLT, Saturday, April 28th.
• Much Ado about Nothing at The Story Well, 14:00 SLT, Saturday, April 21st and 09:00 SLT, Sunday, April 29th.

As with every Fantasy Faire, there will be parties, music and dances throughout – see the Fairechylde listing and event schedule for more. And don’t forget the two special parties for 2018:

• The April Showers Ball, 18:00-20:00 SLT, Saturday, April 28th at The Story Well.
• Xanadu Season Finale Roller Party: 18:00-20:00 SLT, Sunday, April 29th at the Fairchylde.

Keep Abreast of all things Fantasy Faire – music, auctions, literary, performance, and of course the infamous Jail and Bail rounds – through the Fantasy Faire Website, the Fantasy Faire 2018 events calendar and Fantasy Faire radio.

And start your Fairelands journey at the Fairelands Junction.

Fantasy Faire 2018 SLurls

Shopping:

• Aetherea (Alia Baroque)
• Athenaeum Arcana (Beq Janus)
• The Bazaar Dungeon (Loki Eliot)
• Erstwhile (Marcus Inkpen/Sharni Azalee)
• Falls of Hope (Sweetgwendoline Bailey/Eldowyn Inshan)
• Pools of Ethuil (Searlait Nitschke)
• Sanoria (Chic Aeon)
• Severina (Lokii Violet)
• Tiny Town (Kayle Matzerath)
• The Willows of Nienna (Kilik Lekvoda)

Events and Performance:

• Fairelands Junction – Portals and Memorial Area.
• Ardessa (Éclair Martinek) – Fairelands Quest.
• Astrid’s Nemeton (lrriven) – The RFL One Team & Second Performance Stage.
• The Halls of Story (Elicio Ember) – Literary Festival, “Live at the FaireChylde” dance parties and Worldling Collection 2018.
• The Story Well (Haveit Neox & Lilia Artis) – Main Performance Stage & Fantasy Faire Art Gallery.