Midsummer festival anyone?

[maxcell]

I agree, even a bum can afford the 'sword' it takes to gain access to the exclusive Baldur's Gate baths, a similar fee could be charged for the festival and games.

Well, the theory behind an entry fee would be to pay for prizes, per Cloud's comment. The chances of getting real DM support for this is somewhere between "unlikely" and "impossible," and fake entry fees (or practically fake. A 'sword' is a silver piece, and is generally treated as 'too little money for a PC to notice or care') won't accomplish that unless we have a wealthy sponsor.

right. Dan I don't think it would exclude even the poorest of poor, as I am certain donated prizes (being physical or cash) would be more than covered by wealthier toons. Think more along the lines of a bell curve, and if an entrance fee, I am sure a wealthier toon could think of ways a poor toon could "pay them back" for covering their fee But likely donated prizes with food and drink for sale would likely eliminate any need for entrance fees.

But back on topic, great ideas here. Festivals to bring alot of folks together, but if there is DM help required the spreading out of such gatherings certainly would make their jobs easier.

[Brokenbone]

*erects a small sign near a sputtering malfunctioning Cloakwood portal*

"FESTIVAL WITHIN, FREE ADMISSION"

...

Puts the "Tresur down hole" sign near that sinkhole to shame... but would still need a bit of DM support to add.

[Mikayla]

Keep the admission free, and you keep attendance up. I can tell you this from personal experience - I was the president of the San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration Committee (aka SF Pride) for four years, and we throw the (arguably) largest LGBT pride parade and festival in the United States every year - in fact, we are the second largest annual outdoor event in California (attendance is around a 1,000,000 over Pride weekend), second only to the Rose Parade/Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

EVERY year our board of directors, members and staff had to debate whether to charge at the gates or not. The decision was always "NO" (at least while I was Pres).

On the other hand ... we DID ask for donations at the gates (which is why we HAD gates). We had volunteers standing at the gates asking for donations, and if people donated $5, they got a sticker which gave discounts on drinks once inside the festival.

So, don't charge folks - but DO ask for donations. So sayeth me.

M.

[Zelknolf]

But likely donated prizes with food and drink for sale would likely eliminate any need for entrance fees.

If we can get 'em, sure. Perhaps not a coincidence that the wealthy characters don't spend any of their money on events like this, though, and those willing to make such investments get rather tapped out for it (as they're not really investments with any kind of return; just gotta write 'em off as losses, and that makes it difficult to perpetuate).

[Brokenbone]

What is better prize:

(1) A valueless "medal" from some NPC patron of some festival, with a guaranteed follow on adventure that an impressed noble happens to give to some champion, or
(2) Something worth gold (a gem, magic gear, whatever) but no follow on.

"Better" can also mean "better for keeping a server hopping" rather than departing 10 minutes after the festival ends, back to homeland.

I guess PC patrons could give "modest" rewards but try to include some champion on some PC led, DMless outing to go do something heroic, which might in its way be easier / better than "can I scrape up enough for a ... decent item that doesn't seem like overkill here?" If talking a non-DM'd thing.

[Galadorn]

((Bu would donate a stringless ton for a festival *shrugs*, if Galadorn could find a CDM ...he might even make a ton o'stuff for a festival too.))

[CloudDancing]

I figured this would more of "everyone pays 20gp to be in an event" thing. Then that goes into the collective pot and is given to first, second, and third prize by equal division.

As per prizes: donate if you have them. Lots of people have good armor they grew out of. And anyone can win a contest. Anything can be prize, like a token that says "One bard performance from ****" or "one kiss from *****".


We don't need admission then.