Greetings, as some of you may know I am a shard reporter for another Ultima Online Board, and I am here to tell you of an idea for a Catskills shard festival that will take place on New Haven Island. A single individual or guild will not support this festival, but instead be an open festival where every interested person or guild could run their own event or events. Meaning that that there will be all kinds of fun events happening, many at the same time. (Example: A horse race on one end of the festival while at the same time there could be a stage show at the other) This festival will be a huge community gathering for our shard and let people interact with players they normally wouldn’t.
There is a meeting set for Wednesday 6th of June 8 pm EST at the new stage area in New Haven for anyone interested in helping organize this event. There the festival planning committee will be formed and we can set a date and decide on general rules for events. For those who are interested in running events please come too and tell us what you have in mind and where you want to hold it.
Here is just a small list of possible ideas for the festival:
Bards Competition
Pet Show
Tall Tale Contest
Horse Race
Bagball Race
Boat Race Around the Island
Auction to benefit the Zoo
Magery Contests
Jousting and Combat (if we can find a way to work it out so players can compete with each other)
Bake Sale
A Formal Ball
A Costume Contest
A Crowning of a King and Queen for the Catskills Festival (Voted on by all who attend)
Vendors selling items
Craftsmen selling their wares or just showing off their skills
Pet obstacle Course Race
And Contests of Skill and Luck.. Whatever you and your guild can think of.
Just remember this will be a shardwide festival open to everyone and guild. Think of it as a day of peace. Meaning no fighting unless it is a planned event that is. If you have a great idea for a fun event that you think other players on the shard would enjoy then think about using it in the festival.
The reasons it is being held on Haven are many. The first is this event is to show new players how much Catskills is a true community. It will give players not part of a guild a chance to meet many new guilds they may want to join in the future. New Haven has many facilities that such a festival can use, yet is small enough that players won’t be spending all their time running from event to event. New Haven is a town that all players of all skill levels know so there is no major danger to younger players. Visitors from other shards who make up new characters just to take part in our festival will be there. (No moongate hopping and mad runs through the wilds to find the festival.) This is Catskills big chance to shine. Remember this is everyone on Catskills Festival. Lets make this a event that will be remembered!

(WHere you guys been hiding Cabe anyway? I haven't seen your reporter in a while.)

I shall attempt to attend the meeting

I just wanted to drop everyone a quick update on the plans for the festival. We now have a date for the festival and it is Sunday August 5th 2007. So that gives us time to get the festival ready and also gives those who wish to take part a chance to prepare too. (Ex: Those who wish to compose something for the Bards Competition)
Now we need to come up with a name for the festival, and that’s where all of you come in. We are taking suggestions for a name and will be running a contest to find the best one.
Also those interested in entering an event can send them to either Franklin or I through PMs on the Stratics board, email through Stratics at uocatskills@stratics.com, or email for me if you hate using Stratics at Lord_Vallend@hotmail.com. If you use UOForums you can also contact Cabe Bedlam their Catskills shard reporter.
Here is what we need:
Event Name
Short description of the event
Where on New Haven you wish to hold the event
Starting time for event and a rough idea how long it will take.
Your best bet is to go to new Haven and look around the island, and find a good spot for your planned event. Then test to make sure it can work there. Once you are sure send us the needed info. Remember we will be taking events as first come gets to reserve the spot and time.
Oh and yes we are planning on having a festival king and queen so start thinking now of whom you might like to nominate to compete for this honor.
I want to also thank the enthusiastic group that showed up to last nights meeting. Every last one of you made me smile.
Lastly the planning committee is holding a second meeting next Wednesday the 13th at 8 pm EST for those of you who wish to help or want to ask any questions. I hope to see you there.
Many thanks for your time,
Lord Vallend

Just a reminder that the next “Grog Memorial Festival” planning meeting is tomorrow 11 Jul 2007 at the stage on the western edge of New Haven. It has been two weeks since the last meeting so I will give all of you a run down of what will be discussed this time.

The planned “Meat and Ale” Feast for the night before the Festival, at 9 PM EST, where the Festival king and queen will be announced still needs for a location to be selected. (A player ran tavern seems to be the front running idea just deciding what one is the only problem.)

The nomination and election process for the Festival King and Queen is still undecided, and we need to get this worked out this week.

We need lots more events!!! Come on people this is your festival and I know many of you have some great ideas for fun events. So come to the meeting and tell us your idea. If you think that your event will not have a good prize we have started a prize fund to help you out.

The festival will be a great event for Role Players so we are hoping more get involved in the planning.

These meetings are open to anyone who is interested. If you just want to come listen you are more then welcome. Remember this festival is for everyone so please get involved and make it something the entire shard can be proud of.

Lord Vallend

I just wanted to bump this up to remind everyone that the next (and last) planning meeting for Grog Memorial Festival is Wednesday evening the 1st of Aug. in New Haven at the stage house which is located in the southwestern corner of town at 8pm est. Please come and share your ideas!