Category: Events

Scare Me Silly 2023 for Team Diabetes in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Scare Me Silly, 2023

Scare Me Silly 2023, in support of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), opened its doors on Friday, October 13th, 2023 for its 8th season in Second Life, and will remain open through until October 31st. As with previous years, the event is organised by Team Diabetes of Second Life, with Scare Me Silly featuring live performances, parties, a hunt and an art show and – of course – shopping!

All participating merchants this year can be found comprise: Adore Amore, @AdReNaLiZeD@, Angel Fae Boutique, Art & Fashion, Be Bold, Closer to the Heart Creations, Cosmos Boutique, Country Crafter, Couture Chapeau, Creepy Midget Designs, Darymple Designs, DINKIEWEAR, Dreadfully Dark, DUST, Fae Fantasy Creations, Fashiowl Poses, Fire Within, FIRELIGHT, Grumble, HJM Designs, House of papillon, IKR, Kittycat’s Creations, LC Fashion, Le Moon, Llama Inc./Little Llama, Manikin, MG Designs, Nocturne Skies, PAJAMARAMA, PEEPS Dinkies, Pendragon Designs, Pixel Box, Pixelancer, POTOMAC, QUE RICO, Redangel Clothing Co, Shy’s Creations, Starlight Apparel, Techicolor dolls, Telsiope’s Couture, TRS Designs, & The Undiscovered Jewel. In addition, items listed in the Scare Me Silly Shopping Guide.

The artists participating in the art event are: Hadiya Draper, Jamee Sandalwood, HarlowJamison Resident, Llola Lane, maggiemagenta, aquarius27, Eucalyptus Carroll, Jessamine2108 Resident and SNOW KELLEY.

For details of the entertainment and activities going on throughout Scare Me Silly, please see the entertainment schedule.

This year the Evil Pumpkin Hunt offers a number of exclusive prizes available from several of this year’s merchants. The prizes cost L$10, with 100% of proceeds going to Team Diabetes.

In addition to Scare Me Silly, and events organised directly by Team Diabetes of Second Life, individuals, businesses and organisations are encouraged to hold fundraising events in support of Team Diabetes of Second Life. The official fundraising season toolkit is available at Team Diabetes’ offices within the Nonprofit Commons region in Second Life.

About the American Diabetes Association

Established in 1940, the American Diabetes Association is working to both prevent and cure diabetes in all it forms, and to help improve the lives of all those affected by diabetes. It does this by providing objective and credible information and resources about diabetes to communities, and funding research into ways and means of both managing and curing the illness. In addition, the Association gives voice to those denied their rights as a consequence of being affected by diabetes.

About Team Diabetes of Second life

Team Diabetes of Second Life is an official and authorised fund-raiser for the American Diabetes Association in Second Life. Established with the aim of raising funds in support of diabetes treatment and to raise awareness of the disease in SL, Team Diabetes of Second Life was founded by Jessi2009 Warrhol and John Brianna (Johannes1977 Resident), who serve on the Advisory Board along with Eleseren Brianna, Veruca Tammas, Rob Fenwitch, and Dawnbeam Dreamscape.

SLurl and URL Details

Seanchai Library: The Bradbury Project in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Seanchai Library 2023

Ray Bradbury (August 22, 1920 – June 5, 2012) is perhaps best known as a science-fiction and futurist/speculative fiction author responsible for titles such as  Fahrenheit 451 (a book perhaps of special relevance currently), and his short-story collections The Martian Chronicles, and The Illustrated Man. However, he cast his writing net far wider, dipping into coming-of-age stories, screenplays, television scripts, poetry and both fantasy and dark fantasy. In the latter categories we have (the semi-autobiographical) Something Wicked This Way Comes, and The Halloween Tree.

It is this last story in particular, together with Bradbury’s creation of Green Town which form the latest chapter in immersive, event-driven projects developed and staged by Seanchai Library entitled, appropriately enough, The Bradbury Project.

The Halloween Tree

Running through until November 16th, with activities commencing on Monday, October 10th and running through until October 30th, The Bradbury Project will feature readings of The Halloween Tree by Seanchai staff and their friends together with entertainment provided by eClipse Club & Resort, and additional self-guided activities available for anyone who visits through until the project closes on November 16th, 2023.

Th Halloween Tree is the story of eight boys as they attempt to rescue their friend on Halloween night. Under the guidance of the mysterious Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, they travel through time and space, learning about different cultures, and the role that the fear of death, ghosts, and hauntings has played in shaping civilisations down the ages, and which has contributed to much that is encompassed in modern-day Halloween activities.

The Project take place across two levels within the Seanchai Library home parcel, and for the best enjoyment, visitors to the Project should make sure their viewer is set to Use Shared Environment (World menu → Environment). Also, anyone visiting who isn’t already a member of either the Caledonian Studios or the Quantum Products SL experiences should join them when a dialogue to do so is displayed, as they will allow for a more seamless experience whilst exploring the Project’s locations.

The two levels for the event present interpretations of Bradbury’s Green Town and elements from The Halloween Tree, with both levels the focus of the Project’s events and activities.

The first of these – reached via the teleport portal close to the Library’s main landing point – is a corner of the outskirts of Green Town. Based on his birthplace of Waukegan, Illinois, Green Town was a fictional construct Bradbury used to juxtapose the comforting familiarity of Small Town America with the mysterious (and sometimes dark) events within several of his novels – including The Halloween Tree.

Two further portals with the Green Town setting provide access to the Project’s second level. This contains settings such as the home of Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, esq., a good portion of the ravine just outside of Green Town, and the Halloween Tree itself. Of the two teleport portals connecting to this level, I recommend making your way to the the one within the first part of the Ravine on the edge of Green Town and using that when exploring.

Bradbury Project Activities and Events

Activities

  • “Where’s Mr. Lurky?” – Explore The Bradbury Project – everywhere from the main landing in Town, to the Kite Barn and The Halloween Tree. Look for the funny little black guy with the grinning purple face as you explore, and keep count! Full details for this hunt are available within The Bradbury Project locations.
  • Nosferatu on TV in the Halloween Open House – Town Level.
  • The Play Park in Green Town.
  • The Interactive Bradbury Library at Moundshroud’s House.
The Bradbury Project: Green Town

Readings and Entertainment

  • Readings of The Halloween Tree as follows:
    • 19:00 SLT every Tuesday of the event (October 10th, 17th and 24th), featuring Shandon Loring, Faerie Maven-Pralou, and Kayden O’Connell.
    • 13:30 SLT every Sunday of the event (October 15th, 22nd and 29th), featuring David Abbot, Gloriana Maertens, and Caledonia Skytower.
  • Music entertainment (via folk from eClipse Club & Resort) will be offered on the following dates (all times SLT):
    • 19:00-21:00 Friday, October 20th: DJ Momma Hoi.
    • 19:00-21:00 Saturday, October 21st: DJ Iniry Vaher.
    • 19:00-21:00 Sunday, October 22nd: DJ Caledonia Skytower.
    • 21:00-23:00 Thursday, October 26th: DJ Tiger Pawz.
    • 21:00-23:00 Monday, October 30th: DJ JAdmiral Maelstrom.

In addition, other Seanchai Library events may take place at the Project, including additional readings of Bradbury’s work, so keep an eye on the Seanchai Library website.

The Bradbury Project: The Halloween Tree

The Bradbury Project has been built by Dagmar Kohime, Gloriana Maertens, Stevie Basevi-Morane and Caledonia Skytower. All tips received by the Project will be donated to Reading is Fundamental.

SLurl and URL Details

Rock Your Rack 2023 in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
via Rock Your Rack

Presented by Models Giving Back, Rock Your Rack opened its doors on Friday, September 29th, and will run through until Sunday, October 8th, 2023. The annual fund-raiser for the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), the event offers shopping, music, fashion shows, entertainment and art.

Some 1.7 million women – and men – were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012; today that figure still stands at around 1.6 million world-wide. NBCF’s mission is to help women in the United States by providing help and inspiring hope to those affected by breast cancer through early detection, education and support services. NBCF is also joining hands with organisations around the globe to provide breast cancer education, and Rock Your Rack aims to raise funds to support all of these activities.

Rock Your Rack 2023, September 29th-October 8th – shopping

Located on a single region, the event this year doesn’t carry a single theme per se, but draws on ideas of the American West, the seaside, city life and mystical forest glades in what might be seen as reflective of some of the environments and settings to be found in Second Life.

In all, the event features around 70 sponsors and designers through the shopping and entertainment activities, and as with previous years, supporting designers have been asked to provide a limited edition item, of which 100% of all proceeds of sales go towards Rock Your Rack. A full list of these items can be viewed on the Rock Your Rack website. Those wishing to catch up with the full list of sponsors and designers can do so here.

Entertainment will be on offer each weekend of the event and features DJs, live singers and performances by Terpsicorps Artwerks. The complete event schedule can be found in the calendar below and the Rock Your Rack website weekend entertainment schedule.

There is also much to do throughout the event besides shopping and dancing. Once again there is the Rock Your Rack hunt, with many designer and other booths at the event presenting a Hunt item available for L$10 – look for the heart-in-a-clothes hanger objects. There’s also the event’s Art Show featuring many SL artists, and a further Fashion Show to be held on Saturday, October 7th, 2023. In addition, visitors can try their hands at bumper boats, table-top games and funfair rides whilst exploring.

Rock Your Rack 2023, September 29th-October 8th – Art Show

About Rock Your Rack

Rock Your Rack is the annual fund-raiser for, and officially endorsed by, the National Breast Cancer Foundation in the United States. Launched in 2012, the event has been held every year since then, operating on the basis of complete transparency. All documentation relating to the funds raised at each event from screenshots of totals raised, through the Lindex credit processing of US dollar amounts out of Second Life to donation receipts from the MBCF, are posted each year directly to the Rock Your Rack website.

SLurl and URL Details

The 2023 SL Renaissance Festival for MSABC in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
via the 2023 SL Renaissance Festival website. Note image is not representative of the event, but is provided “for ambience only”

The 2023 SL Renaissance Festival is currently open to visitors through until the end of Sunday, October 1st, 2023. Coordinated by the American Cancer Society, the Festival is in support of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer (MSABC), an RFL of SL signature event aimed at raising awareness of the risks of breast cancer and funds to support research into, and treatment of, the disease.

Taking place across multiple regions adjoining the core American Cancer Society’s SL base of operations, the festival carries the theme Coming Home and presents a range of merchants, activities and entertainments linked to the medieval / renaissance periods, for visitors to peruse, participate in and enjoy.

Please refer to the official SL Renaissance Festival website for:

2023 SL Renaissance Festival

As well as the above the festival includes both standalone and mega raffles, together with a special Linden Lab sponsored Silent Auction with the following items open for bidding:

  • One year Premium Plus membership, including a Homestead region for the year (existing Premium Plus members will have 12 months added to their account).
  • One year Premium Plus membership (existing Premium Plus members will have 12 months added to their account).
  • One year Premium membership (existing Premium members will have 12 months added to their account).
  • Two options to change your name free of charge (from the available Last Names list).
  • A 1-hour photo shoot with Patch Linden.

Note that the Auction will close at 18:00 SLT on Saturday, September 30th. The raffles and Auction area can be found alongside the main landing point.

2023 SL Renaissance Festival

Those  interested in role-play in Second Life can use the Festival to visit the role play pavilion and traveller’s camp, while those who enjoy a good hunt will be pleased to know the events Stag Hunt once again returns. Just visit participating merchants in the shopping regions and the role play pavilions in the Traveller’s Camp region, locate the special Strides Stag Hunt statue, and the goodies each statue contains can be yours for just L$25 (all proceeds to MSABC). You can preview the available prizes here.

All of which adds up to a lot to see and do! So why not don ye best olde worlde outfits and drop into the Renaissance Festival? Who knows what marvels you might purchase along the way, the tales of triumph with which you might later regale your friend or the trophies and rewards you might obtain!

URLs and SLurls

All of the RenFest regions are rated Moderate.

A Spoonful of Sugar 2023 in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Spoonful of Sugar 2023

Running from September 2nd through to September 17th (inclusive) in Second Life is the 2023 edition of the Spoonful of Sugar festival in support of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the globe-spanning non-profit organisation providing medical humanitarian and emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters and similar, and who might otherwise be excluded from receiving much-needed healthcare and relief.

Also known as Doctors Without Borders, MSF was originally founded in Paris, France in 1971 and is entirely self-governing; the support and treatment it provides is given on the basis of need, irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation. It is often one of the first organisations to have feet on the ground wherever and whenever humanitarian aid and medical support is desperately needed, and since its founding, MSF has grown to a movement of 24 associations, bound together as MSF International, now based within Switzerland. Thousands of health professionals, logistical and administrative staff – most of whom are hired locally in respect of the care they give around the world – work on programmes in some 70 countries worldwide to provide medical and social care & support for a staggering 10+ million people annually.

Spoonful of Sugar 2023

The 2023 Spoonful of Sugar event marks the ninth year the event has sought to support the work of MSF. In that time, more than US $100,000 has been raised, once again demonstrating the generosity of Second Life users in supporting those most in need around the world. The money raised through SOS events goes directly to MSF for disbursement, although since 2022, the SOS organisers has sought to work with MSF to ensure the funds raised are directed more towards providing relief in countries and regions which have been impacted by natural / environmental disasters, as the SOS website notes.

We don’t “earmark” our fundraising for a specific aspect of what they do. We think they know best where the money is most needed. We do, however, want to change our focus for the event a bit. We’re going to explore more about MSF/Doctors Without Borders work with environmental issues, natural disasters and the pressing impact of climate change, focusing on their work within these specific areas and the people they help while doing this work. So join us at places on our planet that are both astoundingly beautiful and wealthy and yet devastatingly vulnerable and poor. Let’s understand this connection between environmental imbalance and the illness, safety and resource insecurity, facing so many on our planet,

– From the Spoonful of Sugar website

Hence why the 2023 follows the same theme as 2022 – Tahiti, which both sits as a reflection of the scenes of tropical beauty that names tends to conjure whilst also reminding us that it is often smaller, poorer countries that suffer the most from ecological disasters – flooding, storms, etc., – simply because they often cannot afford the rapid response infrastructure and mechanisms required to meet such disasters.

Also as with 2022, this year’s event presents 10 regions available for exploration, entertainment and shopping. Details of the daily entertainment can be found on the SOS website’s schedule page, whilst the region list page provides a list of participating merchants and brands across the 7 shopping regions, complete with SLurl to teleport directly to each region from that page. In addition to the entertainment and shopping, the event includes the Get Crabby Hunt with an impressive selection of prizes (participation requires joining the Get Crabby Hunt Group for L$299 – all proceeds to SOS / MSF), together with the SOS Raffle, offering the chance to win gift cards valued up to L$10,000 and / or tropical cabins.

Spoonful of Sugar 2023

The landing point for the event follows the familiar SOS format of providing extensive information on MSF’s work, as well as introducing people to the teleport system which can be used for easier region hopping. However, for those who wish to explore the regions on foot, boardwalks and sandy causeways can be followed through the event regions to help avoid getting feet too wet!

As always, Spoonful of Sugar is an event well worth visiting. Even if you don’t find anything to buy in the shopping regions, the donation kiosks will welcome your Linden dollars, and you can be absolutely sure that your money is going to a very worthy cause.

SLurl and Links

SL Fandom Con 2023 in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
SL Fandom Con, July 2023

Now open through until the end of the month  is the SL Fandom Con, a new Mega Event for Relay for Life of Second Life and the American Cancer Society, and one not to be confused with the Sci-Fi Expo / Con events many of us are likely familiarly with – although there is a good degree of cross-over.

SL Fandom Con is using the love of stories, comics and all forms of art to bring people together in the virtual world of Second Life while supporting the American Cancer Society’s mission to lead the fight to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. The SL Fandom Con is a fan event bringing you various roleplay groups, resources, shopping, and entertainment from across all of Second Life and we are proud to be part of a community of courage and caring in Second Life.
[It is] A social event focused festival with wider inclusivity for all genres of anime, comics, movies, RL & SL artist creator content, video and tabletop games, pop culture, SL Film Festival, and a specific emphasis on RL & SL Costumes and Cosplay.

– From the SL Fandom Con website

Active across seven regions circling out from and back to the American Cancer Society 2 island (which itself forms the convention’s eighth region), the SL Fandom Con mixes the “traditional” SL approach for such events through the use of sponsored / themed / entertainment regions, with something of a physical world convention feel. By this I mean that as well as American Cancer Society 2 forming the primary landing point for those visiting the convention, it also presents two large convention halls  of the kind generally seen at sci-fi, comic, gaming, and so on conventions in the physical world. As with their physical counterparts, these two halls offer a mix of exhibitor booths as a part of the Rep Your Fandom contest, together with activity space.

SL Fandom Con, July 2023

The main landing point includes information boards where people can obtain teleport / guide HUDs, links to relevant parts of the event’s website where information on shopping, activities, etc., can be found. Experience activated teleport portals flank one side of the landing point, awaiting those who wish to get on with their wandering through the rest of the event regions, while on the other side of the landing point sits the Memorial Garden, ready for those wishing to remember someone they’ve lost to cancer.

Foot access to the adjoining shopping regions – Space and Underwater – can be reached through the two convention halls. With clear roadways / footpaths directing people through each region and on to the next. The region names themselves tend to give a clue as to their main focus (e.g. Space includes a heavy space-based sci-fi focus; New Tokyo a lean towards Japanime, Japanese franchises, etc.) – although none are entirely exclusive to a specific theme of store.

Most of the shopping regions also offers a themed mode of transport as well – little flying saucers at Space, for example. These can be used to travel through each region, with rezzing points at either entry / exit point to a region, with some regions offering additional vehicle rezzing points for those who hop out of their vehicle to explore the local shops, but wish to resume their rides afterwards. Some of these vehicles, frankly, work better than others, but they all offer a potentially different means of skipping through regions.

SL Fandom Con, July 2023

Entertainment stages are located throughout the regions and feature a range live performances, dance troupes, DJ events, whilst the Con also includes its own auction, hunt and contest (the Rep your Fandom Contest, mentioned above). The auction – which can be entered at the main landing point – includes a series of special prizes courtesy of Linden Lab, comprising:

  • One annual Premium Plus subscription.
  • Two annual Premium subscriptions.
  • A Full private region (20K Land capacity) for 6 months free tier.
  • A Homestead region for 6 months free tier.
  • Two Name Changes (using the currently available last names).
  • One Name Change as a gift for a friend (using the currently available last names).

In addition to the above, some of the folk from the Lab will be participating in the event along with some of the Moles from the LDPW participate in the Fandom Con Fashion Show on Thursday, July 27th between 13:00 and 15:00 SLT, when they will be joining residents in showing off their favourite fandom-inspired look.

SL Fandom Con, July 2023

Full information on the event can be obtained via the website, but the following is a list of key SLurls and URLs.

SLurls and Information