#crystal.event3

[matildareed]

Humming under her breath Matilda carried on unpacking her bags to set up the stall for the festival food fair, taking a bite out of one of the cookies to ‘test’ it was still good. She knew it was still good but she had also missed breakfast thanks to putting the finishing touches to some of the henna style decorated macarons so she was a little hungry. Ducking down beneath her table to pull out another box of cupcakes the brunette saw a shadow of a person fall over the stall and stuck her hand up above the surface to show that she was there with a small wave. “Down here! Bare with me I’m just grabbing a box and I’ll be right with you, everything is labelled, but if you have any questions I’m right here.” As she popped back up with a bright eyed grin even though it was early in the morning. “Hey there! Morning!” @crystalcitystarters​

[crystalcityrpg]

CRYSTAL CITYS ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS; EVENT 003

Run every year by the Crystal City Heritage Counsel, in collobartion with the Crystal City Synagoge, St. Anthonys Church and the Hindu Temple of Crystal City is a one month long celebration of winter holidays.  With Diwali, Hanukkah and Christmas happening all around the same time, the city decided to honor each one with special events for four and a half weeks each year.  On the weekend before Christmas, the heritage counsel will also throw a Festival of Lights Gala, a night to dress up, mingle, dance and learn about each culture and holiday. All proceeds from the gala will be split between the Synagogue, the Church and the Temple. 

When: November 26-December 25th, 11 am-10 pm

Where:  Ronson State Park, Crystal City Counry Club.

What: The Crysal City Annual Festival of Lights/The Festival of Lights Gala.

THINGS OFFERED:

A Holiday Market: this is offered everyday from November 26th through December 25th, from 11 am until 10 pm, the market includes vendors from diverse cultures and places. A great place to find gifts for your loved ones, or special things for your home. The market also has multiple food and drink vendors. 

Entertainment: Each week celebrates something different,  a different culture, a different celebration. It will be announced in the beginning of each week what events will be happening then, but music, fireworks, shows, poetry, etc can all be expected.

OOC INFORMATION:

The event will start on Friday, November 27th and end on Friday, December 25th. The Gala will be December 19th but will stay open until the end of the full event on December 25th.  Since the event is a month long, not all starters have to involve it, but do feel free to use it as a base for your starters for the month! For the gala though, starters for that start on the 19th and you must follow the two starter rule.

You do not need to stop your normal threads, but we do encourage you to use the event for plotting, and open starters!

tag starters with crystal.event3, as well as tagging the starter blog/tag and feel free to tag the inspo blog ( @crystalcityinspo) with any musings/insta/pictures and outfits related to the event! 

[zafiyaak]

There are fireworks going off in the background, loud and bright and everyone is cheering. He has just finished his set, a mix of his own music and traditional Hindu music, music that made him feel whole in the moment in a way that all of the partying and drugs never did before.  He’s still on stage, but he’s facing the water, and the fireworks display going off over it. Crystal City, he thinks, is not exactly where he had pictured his life before, it wasn’t Los Angeles, where when he was young he had expected to be living in some mansion, but it was home, and things like tonight felt like he was where he was supposed to be.

“Thank you all for coming out tonight, and this week, to celebrate Diwali with me, I hope you enjoyed the show. Saal Mubarak” he says into the mic, waving one last time before heading back and off the stage, wiping his face off on his shirt. He downs a bottle of water, and then stops when he finally sees a familiar face in the crowd.

“Hey! Thanks for staying! did you enjoy the show?” he asks, eyes bright from the adrenaline from being on stage. “Come on, come with me, I’ll buy you a drink.”

@crystalcitystarters​ 

[fromedxns]

“This is exactly the kind of party my parents would have their hands all over,”  Eden states, martini glass in hand, filled with a peppermint, Christmasy themed drink that was right up her alley.  It’s not that she’s against this sort of thing ,especially when they’re involved in giving to charity, but she’s also so terribly used to them, having been attending them since she was at least fifteen years old. But there’s a difference this time, as she stands here in a gorgeous green gown she took from back home, twenty-six years old, a mother, a friend, a business woman. She doesn’t have anybody she has to pretend for here. That’s the beauty of it all, she doesn’t need to pretend she’s the perfect daughter for anyone here, headed towards Yale. She can just be Eden.  “Come on,” she finally says, taking a drink from the glass in her hand “what do you say we go check out that display outside?” @crystalcitystarters​

[kathrynclery]

( @crystalcityinspo )

[lawlikecaseywells]

( @crystalcityinspo )

[roryalexishale1]

( @crystalcityinspo )

[kngofhell]

ELIAS MICHAEL MORGAN; The Fesitval of Lights Gala.

@crystalcityinspo

[crystalcityrpg]

UP FOR AUCTION;

if your muse wants to participate in the auction, please like this post. If they want to donate to the auction, please let the main know. All winners will be chosen by random number generator. 

An all expenses paid 4 day stay in a luxury apartment in France, depature and reutrn flights on a private jet. (Donated by Casey Wells and Elias Morgan)

A one year fully paid membership to Crysal City Country Club, all amentiies included. (Donated by the Crystal City Country Club)

A free spa day for two (Donated by the Crystal City Heritage Council)

A  fixed up 1997 C5 corvette (Donated by Bren Clery)

A guitar signed by Slash from Guns n Roses’ (Donated by Zayne Desai)

Season tickets to the Crystal City Ice Devils hockey games. (Donated by the Crystal City Ice Devils)

a newly renovated fishing boat docked in the harbor (Donated by Veronica Leon)

Free breakfast for a year at Rosie's diner (Donated by Veronica Leon)

free salsa dance lessons (Donated by Veronica Leon)

Alphonse Mucha's Four Seasons as mirror Prints  (Donated by Chhaya Bhatt)

[zafiyaak]

ZAYNE IVAAN DESAI; The Festival of Lights Gala

@crystalcityinspo

[crystalcityrpg]

Every year, on the weekend before Christmas, the heritage counsel throws a Festival of Lights Gala, a night to dress up, mingle, dance and learn about each culture and holiday. All proceeds from the gala will be split between the Synagogue, the Church and the Temple.

When: In game, December 19th, 8 pm-2 am (OOC until December 28th)

Where:  Crystal City Counry Club.

What: The Crysal City Annual  Festival of Lights Gala.

Ticket price: starts at $50, but goes up if you want a private table depending on the seating.

WHAT’S OFFERED:

Open Bar: paid for by the heritage counsel, but please tip your servers and bartenders! Be sure to try our holiday themed drinks! 

Food: Appetizers, grazing tables and goods from all around the world, many brought to you by some of the same vendors from the Festival markets!

Photobooth: make memories with your friends and family that’ll last a lifetime! Props and multiple backgrounds offered in the photobooth. 

Private donation booths: donate to the heritage counsel in privacy, booths will be set up to take your donation. All donations will be split between the Synagogue, Church and Temple.

Entertainment: Many of the acts from the first two weeks of the festival will be showcasing again,  as well as many more, and then for the night there will be a live band.  There will of course, be dancing through the night. There will be chances to learn about each holiday in different forms, with guest speakers, shows or displays.  A raffle, with signups at the door, will be happening, winners announced near the end of the night.  By generous donation, there is also a holiday light and art display on the country club grounds, take your drinks, a warm coat and view the lights and from different local artists from different cultures.  At the end of the night on the golf course, there will be a fireworks display.  Photos encouraged, make sure to tag #festivaloflightsgala and the @crystalcityheritagecounsel. 

OOC INFORMATION:

The event will start on Saturday, December 19th and end on December 28th. In game it is only one night, the 19th.   For the gala though, starters start on the 19th and you must follow the two starter rule.

You do not need to stop your normal threads, but we do encourage you to use the event for plotting, and open starters! For the gala, no new non event related starters should be posted that aren’t event related from December 19th-December 25th. 

tag starters with crystal.event3, as well as tagging the starter blog/tag and feel free to tag the inspo blog ( @crystalcityinspo) with any musings/insta/pictures and outfits related to the event!

If you would like to be involved with the raffle (either donating to it, or enterting the raffle) contact the main!  Winners will be chosen with an online number generator. 

[matildareed]

( @crystalcityinspo )

[crystalcityrpg]

CRYSTAL CITY ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS CELEBRATES HANUKKAH; 

from December 10th-December 18th

The Talmud describes Hanukkah as a holiday of “praise and thanksgiving” in commemoration of the miraculous overthrow of the Syrian Greeks, the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, and the single cruse of oil that lasted eight days. Hanukkah’s festive atmosphere derives almost entirely from home ritual and customs and is dominated by light as a metaphor for spiritual freedom. This is emphasized by special holiday songs, games, and foods. 

The defining act of Hanukkah is to kindle the lights of the hanukkiyah, the eight-branched candelabrum (commonly referred to as the Hanukkah menorah). These lights, which can either be candles or tiny oil cups with floating wicks, grow in strength during the eight days of Hanukkah, with the addition of one candle or lighted wick each night. One light is added each night to fulfill the concept of lo moridim ba-kodesh (one does not decrease in holiness).

To wish someone a Happy Hanukkah, say “Hanukkah Sameach!” (Happy Hanukkah) or simply “Chag Sameach!”

WHAT’S OFFERED AT THE EVENT;

On the first night of Hanukkah (Thursday, December 10th), folks gather at Ronson National Park to help light the park’s giant menorah during a community-focused celebration in the park. 

Art by Jewish artists will be on display throughout the festival the entire eight days, and will be sold and showcased throughout the market as well.

Various types of tradional and more modern music will be played and having live performances. 

The cities Jewish restaurants and vendors will be showcased first and foremost through the market throughout the eight days. 

Activites geared towards children, including crafts, but also a family latke making class.  

General food and drinks will also be offered.

[crystalcityrpg]

WEEK ONE; DIWALI;

The name Diwali, or Deepavali, comes from a Sanskrit word meaning “rows of lighted lamps.”

Although the festival originated with Hindus, Diwali is celebrated by most Indians of all faiths including Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs.

The celebration lasts five days, during which candles, firecrackers and clay lamps known as diyas are lit to signify the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil, Bhalla said. If you want to greet someone who is celebrating you can say "happy Diwali" or "saal mubarak" which means "Happy New Year."People will also decorate with rangolis, intricate patterns made from colored powder, rice or flowers, on the floor of their homes. Food is also a major part of the holiday, with traditional sweets and savory items eaten.

WHAT CRYSTAL CITY IS OFFERING FOR THE DIWALI CELEBRATION WEEK;

Celebration with different Indian dance groups from around the United States and other entertainment such as traditional Indian music groups and more modern ones as well, including a performance by ZAYNE DESAI.

There will be foods from all sorts of different vendors, but showcased especially this week are those from Indian vendors. 

Art shows and sales from Indian artists.

Crafts, and family fun run by the Hindu Temple of Crystal City

A firework show every night, and on the last night, releasing lighted candles into the river. 

.

[fromedxns]

EDEN NIKOHL DAVIS; The Festival of Lights Gala

@crystalcityinspo