Fandom Pride Festival 2024: The Park, All Day Saturday (6/22)

[drumsticksandd20s]

The rainbow in the sky over the island for Pride was tradition, any and all weather logic be damned, and it seemed to be especially -- almost defiantly -- bright this year.

And the festival's organizer wouldn't have it any other way.

The park was all decked out in rainbows, glitter, and miniature Pride flags of different varieties. The bounce house and ballpit slide were back again to serve as the centerpiece this year, as were the assortment of rides and very queer-themed carnival games.

The stage with its NPC bands and open-mic sessions was set up next to the picnic area, where an assortment of highly moddable foods had been provided by whichever restaurants Steph had strong-armed into prevailed upon to contribute. Tables and booths were set up on the other side of the picnic area for any vendors or local businesses that wanted to take part, but don't worry, no one was going to try and get you to sign up for a credit card or anything like that. Steph would have personally beaten anyone who tried that over the head with their own clipboard.

Happy Pride, Fandom! Have at it.

[OOC: After I put up the OCD, that is. Threads are up! Go wild.]

Comments

Arrive/Mingle! [Pride 2024]

[drumsticksandd20s]

Please avail yourself of the free bottled water and sunscreen available at several stations around the park.

No, seriously. Do it.

Re: Arrive/Mingle! [Pride 2024]

[hasaknightjob]

Steven was there with Llewellyn. He was wearing the pin he'd gotten from Steph on Thursday, which was a small rainbow flag that matched Llewellyn's. He looked about to see what all was there, naturally taking particular note of the brochures since he'd helped with organizing them.

"It looks wonderful," he said. Because it did.

Re: Arrive/Mingle! [Pride 2024]

[endsthegame]

Ender had almost forgotten that Fandom did this every year. He couldn't say it particularly resonated with him - but it was a decent enough excuse to go out and take the kids, even if only for an hour or so.

He carried Kol in his arms, Val trailing right behind. "Do you want to go in the ballpit?" he asked.

Val looked downright offensive. "I'm not a baby, dad. Don't condescend."

Having his own Wiggin children had definitely done a great deal to make Ender sympathize with his own parents.

Re: Arrive/Mingle! [Pride 2024]

[what_big_teeth]

While it was true that Eleanor generally tended to set herself to the side quietly at these events and picnics, it was especially true for Pride. It was hard not to be particularly contemplative, a little bit sad, and a touch hopeful, thinking about how much had changed, and how different her life could have been if people were more accepting in her time, or her parents' time, or her grandparents'.

She wished Rafe could be here. Actual Rafe, spirited and roguish and bold as he was before he became...before she turned him into...the hollow shell of a person he was now...

For now, though, she had ice cream, sunscreen slathered on her incredibly pale skin, a good view of all the festivities, and plans for a good long swim in the ocean later.

Re: Arrive/Mingle! [Pride 2024]

[okey_dokey]

This wasn't like anything Lucy had ever attended -- for one thing, there just wasn't this kind of access to color in the vault, and she'd actually never seen a rainbow that wasn't programmed somewhere.

She did, in fact, avail herself of bottled water (three bottles of it, actually, two of which went right into her bag) as she wandered around, curiously doing her best to learn what this was all actually about.

Re: Arrive/Mingle! [Pride 2024]

[no_missing_piece]

Beta was the genetic clone of a decidedly non-heteronormative woman, and had spent years in captivity on an interstellar spacecraft hearing all about said woman from her functionally immortal ex-girlfriend, but anyway.

She wasn't exactly in the center of the action, but she was making an effort to do less lurking around the periphery of the park than usual, tucked into the shade under a tree as she read over a brochure with the words THE ACE SPECTRUM across the top in block letters.

...huh.

Re: Arrive/Mingle! [Pride 2024]

[moreofaponchoguy]

Cal wasn't sure what all this was for, but he and his red hair were going to be taking advantage of the sunscreen, thank you very much.

"You missed the back part of your neck," BD-1 said helpfully.

"I didn't miss it, I just didn't get there yet," he replied.

Re: Arrive/Mingle! [Pride 2024]

[aroughtempestiwillraise]

Well, both things were very thoughtful for a wizard new to the land. Even if it was a might difficult to make sure he'd gotten sunscreen on everything. Because Tara was hardly helping point anything out as she trotted along like a princess, expecting Gale to grab enough water bottles for them both.

Ah, friendship.

Re: Arrive/Mingle! [Pride 2024]

[pocketpretzels]

Watts 's player totally didn't fall asleep last night before pinging in their own thread was here with Steven, and to the shock of anyone that knew him was paying particular attention to the food related booths.

Re: Arrive/Mingle! [Pride 2024]

[giveittoyoursister]

As the organiser's personal roadie, Vi had totally been here all day helping set up.

As opposed to her player who'd been flat out at work.

Booths and Tables [Pride 2024]

[drumsticksandd20s]

For any local vendors or enterprising crafty individuals who might want to set up shop.

[OOC: And of course, feel free to ping in with your own booths here!]

The Magpie Emporium

[drumsticksandd20s]

Just because she'd chosen to prioritize Pride over Free RPG Day didn't mean Steph was going to ignore Free RPG Day.

There were sets of bouncy silicone Pride dice and Pride flag dice trays as freebies, a raffle for one particularly pretty rainbow glass set of dice, and stacks of free one-shot modules from various RPG systems. One of which this year is the Marvel Multiverse RPG, just saying.

A few of the NPC GMs from the store are hanging around the booth all day and would be happy to run games for people, and Steph's hanging out here too whenever she needs a break from her festival organizer duties.

Blackstone Foundry and Forge

[special_rabbit]

Naturally, Amaya was here to set up s booth eith all her rainbow-gradient color tempered steel and other metals, mostly in the form of weapons (including the iconic rainbow throwing star set in its nice fancy box!), but this time, there was also a considerable amount of jewelry along the same aestetic, lots of twisty bits and spikes, and pieces of armor and pins and the like.

Re: Booths and Tables [Pride 2024]

[carbsliftthespirit]

The Pizza Planet booth would be selling cheese and veggie rainbow pizzas, by the slice or by the pie, all day long!

And, of course, cold drinks. You could never have enough of those.

Dite's Decadent Delights

[begmetwice]

Irene was here, sparkling with various Pride accessories in contrast to the simplicity of her dress -- she had rainbow bangles at her wrists, a lesbian pride flag at her collar, and, most importantly, a sparkling, bright crown of spikes in varying colors. (And the fact that it didn't look entirely unlike the contents of Amaya's booth was, of course, the absolute opposite of a coincidence.)

The Dite's booth was covered in all kinds of safe sex paraphernalia and literature -- need some free condoms? Want to be horrified by dental dams? Maybe in the mood for an informative brochure about how to actually use one? Step right up!

Additionally, she had business cards available for her own shop, as well as a few known queer-owned shops throughout the country.

The Photo Hut Photo Booth

[hashtag_chocobro]

Prompto was honestly a little shocked he hadn't thought of this before, but he'd gone and set up (along with plenty of other photography-related merch from the store) a nifty little insta-photp booth at the Photo Hut's table, too. Complete with all sorts of colorful fun props and the cutest sparkly unicornI attendant to remind everyone to smile and say Wookiee!

(Prompto, too, of course, was repping the rainbow, too, but his fashion choices were not nearly as interesting and cool as Noctra's!)

Fandom Counseling

[sharp_man]

Hannibal had absolutely put up a tent. And a fan blowing cold air, courtesy of a large block of ice.

He had business cards, cold coffee and lemonade, and a few more chairs, if anybody wanted to talk. Or just try to beat the heat.

Games/Attractions [Pride 2024]

[drumsticksandd20s]

Sure, the selection is small -- Steph prefers to call it carefully curated -- but this is Pride, not an amusement park. Spread out between the games and rides are informational plaques about various key events and prominent figures of LGBTQIA history.

Bounce House and Ballpit Slide

[drumsticksandd20s]

You take as long as you damn well want in that ballpit. Also leave your dignity at the door.

Test Your Strength!

[drumsticksandd20s]

You know, the one with the sledgehammer and the bell? It's a classic, only this time the highest score you can get is classified as The First Brick Thrown at Stonewall.

Ferris Wheel

[drumsticksandd20s]

Just wait until after dark, when it lights up in rainbow colors.

Or don't. Steph's not the boss of you.

Various Carnival Games

[drumsticksandd20s]

Among them are a beanbag toss, a giant Connect Four board, and a Jeopardy-style queer history trivia game.

Feel free to mod others as well! There's totally room for them. Shh, Fandom physics.

The Stage! [Pride 2024]

[drumsticksandd20s]

All of the live entertainment, none of the exorbitant ticket prices.

Look, Steph would've killed to, like, get boygenius to play the festival but she couldn't pull that off this year, sorry. Though apparently one of the baristas from the Perk has a mariachi band?

Sit and enjoy the NPC music, or come up to the open mic and indulge your own aspirations to stardom if you dare.

Re: The Stage! [Pride 2024]

[x_wondrous_x]

Oh, if there was going to be an open stage, of course Stewart was going to be there, dragging up all his equipment while gloriously decked out in a sequined jacket and matching top hat, make-up all glammed up, to do a set, carefully curated with his friend Roald from back home.

It was pretty much exactly what you'd have expected if you'd have ever met him for two seconds, really.

OOC [Pride 2024]

[drumsticksandd20s]

I'll be AFK for a chunk of the day for Free RPG Day myself, because this year's free Pathfinder module is super adorable and I can't pass up the chance to play it, but have at it and stay tuned for the parade post tomorrow.