The Spring Festival is a 'fair' type event, put on by the Academy each year, to mark the end of Spring Thaw, and the beginning of Spring. It lasts for five days, during which there are no classes. It is open to all of Pallahade.... though it is not a city holiday of any sort, so mostly for the students.

Various events are schedule throughout the five day period, some one day things, some running over the course of several days...

The area where you are now, on the Parade Ground, is known mostly for the Main Stage (that Warrick is in the process of supervising right now). From here, Amaris will give her customary opening day speech, to mark the start of the Festival. After that, it is used for the occasional scheduled performance, but mostly it becomes an 'open forum' of sorts. Anyone may come up on it, and perform for the crowds. All you have to do is sign up for a time slot (maximum of 30 minutes) and show up five minutes before your start time, and you can go up and perform whatever you wish. This is free for Academy personell, although the citizens of Pallahad are usually charged a small nominal fee. It is not a political forum, and speeching is not permited, (and a few bigger cadets are usually employed to make sure no one gets out of line). It is for artistic performance. Poetry, music, acrobatics, juggling, short plays... whatever skills one wishes to show off.

It is fairly common to get small 'personal' competitions going between the users (last season an impromptu poetic war between Vertigo and a Pallahade poet named Emriahl became quite the attraction (with rumours of a rematch this year!))

There is always a large crowd on the Parade ground. The booths (being set up now) are usually arrayed around the open area, and cater to those here to view the performances. These mostly include sources of food and drink, though other items are sold as well, including flowers and a few Academy produced crafts.

Most vendors are located elsewhere, near the Academy gates. There vendors from Pallahade and other towns come to set up, and sell to the Festival goers. The Parade Grounds are limited to Academy based vendors.

Other events include a field puck tournament, a number of unicorn races (cross country, and obstacle), a play performed by the drama troupe (with a performance each evening except the last, when there is only a matinee) various competitions in archery and swordplay and of course the Spring Gala, which for the first time in years is going to occur outdoors.

Of course, there are many other things going on, these are just a few, to give a feel for what's what, and something to talk of, if you're of the need.

And of course, as an unofficial tradition, there is First Night, which occurs the night before the opening day of Spring Festival, and is more or less just a student only party. =)

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A

ps - subject matter liable to change on a moments notice =)