Tag: MSABC

The 2022 SL Renaissance Festival for Making Strides

Posted on by Inara Pey
via SL Renaissance Festival

The 2022 SL Renaissance Festival is currently open to visitors through until the end of Sunday, October 2nd, 2022. 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 The Silk Road 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:

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer SL Renaissance Festival 2022: entertainment area

The event tournaments include rounds of jousting, archery, mounted archery, and mêlée, all of which are open to anyone who’d like to try their hand at any of them. In particular, and for those who wish to try their hand at jousting there is the added attraction of jousting against staff from Linden Lab and Moles from the Linden Department of Public Works.

Advanced Tickets to joust in this special event, which will be held between 12:00 noon and 14:00 SLT on Thursday, September 29th, cost L$1,000 (proceeds to RFL of SL / Making Strides) and are available via kiosks within the Welcome Regions and at the Joust Arena. Advanced Ticket holders will have priority Joust time, but if time permits, the Joust will be opened to those watching the event, on payment of a L$1,000 donation to Making Strides. Experience in jousting is not required, and mounts and lances are supplied.

If jousting isn’t your thing, then perhaps ensuring the more rambunctious Lindens and Moles are held to account might be, because as the event website notes:

The Lindens & Moles have escaped the hordes who chased them down the Silk Road and have arrived safely at the SL Renaissance Festival.  However, they had a few, shall we say, “incidents” along the way whilst visiting the village taverns and partaking in  local merriment. Some, more so than others it appears. Reports of table dancing, chandelier swinging and loud singing in the streets in the wee hours have reached the Festival Queen. They must be held accountable for their loud and rambunctious behaviour, and have been ordered to the pillory.

By Royal Decree, Second Life Residents are to be the judges as to who spend time in the pillories by voting for the Linden / Mole team they feel should be held to account by making a donation to the kiosk representing that team (all donations to MSABC).

Voting will close at 13:00 SLT on Wednesday, September 28th, 2022, and it is understood those accused will be skulking around the voting kiosks in an attempt to proclaim their innocence and encourage the voting for rival teams to face time in the stocks! Don’t be fooled and vote with your conscience – the pillories will be locked after the final tally has been taken, and the winning – err, losing – team will face the rotten vegetables provided for the purposes of pelting, and (good-natured!) jeering.

If all this sounds like fun, then why not also become a medieval fashion model and walk “Ye Olde Catwalk” in the RenFest Fashion Show? Model your favourite look in any or all of the these categories (L$100 donation to MSABC required for each costume entry): Medieval Royalty; Medieval Dinky; Viking; Pirate. The show will take place at 10:00 SLT on Sunday, October 2nd, and if you wish to participate, sign-up here.

And of course there is the Renaissance Raffle and the special Linden Silent Auction, the latter with some very special prizes, including:

  • Premium Memberships:
    • Bid for one year Premium Membership or Premium Plus Membership (if you are already Premium or Premium Plus, you can bid for a free 12-month renewal).
    • Both bring you all the benefits of Premium / Premium Plus and if you’re feeling generous – the prizes can be gifted!
  • Change your last name for free, using the list of available Last Names available at the time.
  • A one-hour photoshoot with Patch Linden and a chance to chat.
aking Strides Against Breast Cancer SL Renaissance Festival 2022: Linden silent Auction and Jousting entry kiosk

Bid for your Linden Prize here! Note that the auction closes at 13:00 SLT on Sunday, October 2nd, 2022.

All of which adds up to a lot to see and do! So why not follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo et al, and tread the route of The Silk Road? Who knows what marvels you might purchase along the way, the tales of triumph you might later regale your friend with – or a trophies and rewards you might obtain?!

URLs and SLurls

All of the RenFest regions are rated Moderate.

SL Sci-Fi Expo 2021 and Out Shop Cancer in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Sci-Fi Expo 2021

The 2021 Second Life Sci-Fi Expo launched on Friday, October 8th, 2021, and will remain in orbit through until Sunday, October 17th, 2021 in aid of The American Cancer Society and the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer (MSABC) campaign.

Active across multiple regions located alongside the American Cancer Society Island, this year’s even carries the theme of visiting New Eden, a major hub for galactic commerce and exchange located on an ancient forested world and protected by an all-encompassing sky dome.

As with previous years, the expo presents a broad range of science-fiction related role-play, entertainment, and activities and the best place to find out about all that the Expo has to offer is via the official website, where you can find information on:

Sci-Fi Expo 2021

This year’s setting a especially well considered; the regions offer plenty of open territory that gives room for event spaces set out among the canyons and woodlands that give a lot of opportunity for simple wandering and exploration. The majority of the shopping, meanwhile, is found within the New Eden city, presenting the opportunity for visitors to ramp down draw distance and shop without too burdensome a load on their viewer.

As befitting an untamed planet, New Eden is a rugged place, so be sure to follow the trails and stairs up into the hills to discover all of its secrets; and if you get lost, keep an eye out for the teleport portals – walking in to one will return yo to the main landing point (you may need to accept the event experience for these to work). So, as I’m prone to say when previewing this event: whatever your interest in science fiction, be sure to set your phaser on fun and head back to the future with a visit to the SL Sci-Fi Expo!

Sci-Fi Expo 2021

Out Shop Cancer

Also underway throughout October is the 4th annual Out Shop Cancer, a grid-wide shopping event that this year sees more that 70 creators and merchants participating. Offering a broader range of shopping opportunities than the sci-fi theme offered at the Sci-Fi Expo, Out Shop Cancer presents items for adult and child avatars, home and garden and DFS goods, and more. New for this year is a grid-wide hunt. Just find the black Out Shop Cancer shopping bags tucked away inside participating stores, pay them L$25 (all proceeds to RFL of SL / Making Strides), and claim a bag full of goodies.

For full details on the event, please refer to the Out Shop Cancer website, where you can find the complete shopping directory and full details on the hunt, together with the latest news updates.

SLurl and Information

The 2021 SL Renaissance Festival for Making Strides

Posted on by Inara Pey
via the SL Renaissance Festival 2021

The 2021 SL Renaissance Festival is currently open to visitors through until the end of Sunday, October 3rd, 2021. A signature event coordinated by the American Cancer Society, the event 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 raising funds to support research into, and treatment of, the disease.

Taking place across four regions adjoining the core American Cancer Society regions the festival 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 web site for:

The jousting arena where residents can enjoy tournaments or even face Lindens and Moles at a special event on Thursday, September 30th, 2021

The event tournaments include daily rounds of jousting, archery, mounted archery, and mêlée, all of which are open to anyone who’d like to try their hand at any of them. In particular, and for those who wish to try their hand at jousting there is the added attraction of jousting against staff from Linden Lab and Moles from the Linden Department of Public Works.

Tickets to joust in this special event, which will be held between 12:00 noon and either 14:00 or 15:00 SLT on Thursday, September 30th, with tickets costing L$1,000 (proceeds to RFL of SL / Making Strides) to participate. Those from the Lab taking part comprise Constantine Linden, Derrick Linden and Patch Linden along with Abnor Mole, Alotta Mole, and Maximus Mole. Tickets can be purchased via the special kiosks at the event’s Welcome Areas.

The Tales of Heroes

As well as pavilion-based shopping within the festival’s shopping regions, visitors can also obtain special items by participating in the Stag Hunt. Just find the stag statue(s) in participating shops and in the role-play areas, and claim the goodies inside for a payment of L$25 (all payments go directly to Making Strides).

In addition, the event features:

All of which adds up to a lot to see and do! To help visitors get in the mood of the event, the landing points in the main merchant areas include a range of period costumes and accessories on sale with all funds raised again going directly to Making Strides.

URLs and SLurls

The 2020 SL Renaissance Festival for Making Strides

Posted on by Inara Pey
Banner courtesy of the SL Renaissance Festival

The 2020 SL Renaissance Festival is currently open to visitors through until the end of Sunday, October 4th, 2020, with the aim of raising funds for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer (MSABC). A signature event coordinated by the American Cancer Society, MSABC is aimed at raising awareness of the risks of breast cancer and raising funds to support research into, and treatment of, the disease.

A new event for Second Life, the SL Renaissance Festival is a switch away from past MSABC events in-world. It is taking place across six regions linked to the American Cancer Society island, all of them decorated in a medieval / renaissance theme and presenting a range of merchants, activities and entertainment for visitors to peruse, participate in and enjoy.

SL Renaissance Festival: jousting arena

Please refer to the official SL Renaissance Festival web site for:

The event tournaments include daily rounds of jousting (including jousting with the Lindens on October 1st, 2020), archery, mounted archery, and mêlée, all of which are open to anyone who like to try their hand at any of them – check the official website for more details via the menu at the top of the site.

For those interested in role-play, the Kings Court Academy features a range of period role-play classes, and offers practice grounds for those wanting to try their hand at the various tournament activities, either on their own or via a scheduled class. It is also the starting point for the Conquer Trail, a path people can take on foot or horseback, running or walking, and use slingshots or rotten tomatoes to try to strike targets; when they do so, information about Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and the services it provides is displayed.

SL Renaissance Festival: silent auction area

In addition, the event features:

  • Auctions: the festival features both a One Of A Kind and a Silent Auction, both of which are running through until Sunday, October 4th. You can view the auction items via the catalogues on the SL Renaissance Festival website, and bid on them at the festival’s auction locations:
  • A Gacha market.
  • The Trail of Heroes – breast cancer survivors and caregivers from around Second Life reveal how Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and The American Cancer Society have benefited them in their journey with the disease.
  • The Best in Helm Contest – vote for your favoured swordsman, jouster, or archer in this contest by leaving a token of your esteem (donations to Making Strides). The helmed lord or lady by receiving the most donations will win the favour of the festival lands.
  • The Stag Hunt – find the stag statue in participating shops and claim the goodies inside for only L$25 (all payments go directly to Making Strides). Note that some stores may have more than one stag statue, and statues may also be found in the role  play areas of the Ren Fest I region.
  • The Royal Court Gala – Sunday, October 4th, at 13:00 SLT.
  • Lindens At the Pillory – on  Friday, October 3rd, a number of Lindens who misbehaved during their voyage to the festival will be pilloried between 13:00-15:00 SLT, or until their fines are paid. So come tease them or, if you prefer, pity them and pay for their release (all payments go to Making Strides).
SL Renaissance Festival: information area (Ren Fest I)

All of which adds up to a lot to see and do! To help visitors get in the mood of the event, the landing points in the main merchant areas include a range of period costumes and accessories on sale for between L$1 and L$175 – all funds raised again going directly to Making Strides.

URLs and SLurls

A renaissance festival for MSABC in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Banner courtesy of the SL Renaissance Festival

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer (MSABC) is a global signature event coordinated by the American Cancer Society aimed at raising awareness of the risks of breast cancer and in raising funds to support research into, and treatment of, the disease. Traditionally held in the latter half of the year, in 2019 MSABC raised over US $13,600 large through two main activities – Out to Shop and The Pink Power Fest / Making Strides Walk-a-Thon.

This year, MSABC is changing things up again, and in doing so, they are also hoping to show support for, and receive it from, another of Second Life’s active communities: the medieval / renaissance community.

The Second Life Renaissance Festival in support of Strides will open its doors on Friday, September 25th, 2020 and will run through until Sunday, October 4th, 2020 inclusive, and it will offer something for everyone interested in the medieval / renaissance period, or who wants to support the global work of ACS in respect of treating and curing breast cancer.

The festival will take place across four themed regions – or kingdoms, as they are being called. They will comprise:

  • Two Kingdom Shopping Regions, which will also include the Minstrel’s Corner (the entertainment stage), and will host the Best In Helm contest and the Tale Of Heroes activity, of which more below.
  • The tournaments region.
  • The Kings Court Academy region – focused on role-play – which will also feature the Traveller’s Camp, home to the event’s Gatcha and auctions (silent and one-of-a-kind).

We’d like our events to be all inclusive, so the Best In Helm contest is open to anyone wanting to take their photo in knight’s armour. Visitors to the festival will be able to vote for their favourite knight by making a donation  through the Strides kiosk alongside their chosen knight.

The Tale Of Heroes is open to anyone in Second Life who wishes to tell their story of how Strides and / or Breast Cancer has affected them, or what it means to them.

– Nuala Maracas, Renaissance Festival co-coordinator

The tournaments region will offer a range of period tournaments – jousting, archery, mêlée, mounted archery – on a daily basis throughout the festival, and these are again open to anyone who like to try their hand at any of them.

The Kings Court Academy will feature a range of period role-play classes for those interested, and offer practice grounds for those wanting to try their hand at the various tournament activities, either on their own or via a scheduled class. It will also host the Conquer Trail, a path people can take on foot or horseback, running or walking, and use slingshots or rotten tomatoes to try to strike targets; hitting a target will provide information about Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and the services it provides.

Renaissance Festival merchant’s payments area (post registration)

Currently, the festival is taking registrations from: sponsors, merchants interested in participating – although slots for both are running out! – and period role-play communities / groups. Details can be found on the festival’s website as follows:

Those who wish to help in organising the event can also visit the volunteer’s sign-up page. Note that this does not include any sign-up for stage managers, greeters, entertainers, bloggers, etc., – a call for these positions will be made in due course.

Further information on the festival will be made available through the Renaissance Festival website as it becomes available, and I hope to provide updates through these pages as well.

My thanks to Nuala Maracas for spending time with me to discuss the event.

RFL of SL: Strides campaigns raise over USD 13K in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
via ACS / Making Strides

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has announced that the 2019 Strides Campaigns raised US $13,633 to help those dealing with breast cancer and in the search for a cure.

The total marks an impressive US $5,000 increase over the total raised in 2018. This year, ACS ran two flagship events for Making Strides, the Out Shop Cancer campaign that ran right throughout the month of October and involved stores and creators right across the grid, and the Pink Power Fest, which was kicked-off by the Strides Walk-a-thon on Saturday, October 19th and ran through until Saturday October 26th, 2019.

In addition, individuals and groups across Second Life were encouraged to organise their own events in support of Making Strides, with the top Strides Campaigns raising over $2,500 including Camping for A Cure & Bikers for BOObies.

The official announcement provides a further breakdown of campaigns and amounts raised, with the organisers offering warmth thanks to all who took part, either in the events themselves or in helping to organise them.

via the American Cancer Society

Commenting on the success of the season, an overjoyed Stingray Raymaker, Director of ACS in SL, said:

We were confident that this would inspire people who wanted to fight breast cancer in their own way, and the community certainly stepped up. We appreciate everyone who took part in this year’s campaign, and after looking at the data, we are really excited about what the future holds.

All funds raised through Strides Campaigns in Second Life are used by the American Cancer Society to contribute to our life-saving breast cancer research and breast cancer patient services.

Congratulations to all involved on achieving such a worthwhile result!

Are you interested in becoming a volunteer for the American Cancer Society in Second Life, and help their global efforts in helping cancer patients, their families and in seeking cures for cancer? Then please contact Stingray9798 Raymaker in-world or e-mail jeffrey.montegut-at-cancer.org.