[Elfsea] Evening Events/Activities

[Gustav Minnesinger]

First things first: People will do what they WANT to do.

You cannot make them stay or go.  You cannot make them dance or sing.  They will camp or not.  Each and every one of them will make their own choice and from there, participate or not.

That means coming to your event, or party, or . . . whatever.

An Autocrat can help other groups make various announcements that there are evening activities.  They can also schedule a dinner break between the days events and evening court (as Stepps and Elfsea regularly do).  But that is about all they can do.

It seems to be a general misconception that the Baron/Autocrat/Peer had something to do with the failure of some sort of evening activity.  And that is just not the case.

Example: Elfsea Springfair

The Autocrat did a fine job setting up the event site and planning the five tournaments along with all the other stuff that goes with an event (Gate, Water-Bearing, etc.)  Announcements had been made for quite a while about the Evening’s Torchlight Tournament and the Pirate Party.  But when the time arrived, how many people elected to camp?  A handful.  And though we were close enough to party a little bit and then drive home, people ran away at the dinner hour like the flood had been announced.  By the time evening court was over and the herald made the Tournament announcement, only one fighter came forward saying he would fight.  It was a nice prize.

But it was a ghost town.

Our Baron and Highness were looking forward to the parties, but it seems that everything just died as soon as the sun had gone down.

We can all 'Want' to have a grand ol' time, but what other people do is not up to us.

The only thing I can suggest is Advertise, Plan and Have a Good Time.

Advertise.  Put together your own web page and get people interested in your party.  Advertise on other lists.  Have the autocrat link to your page and vice versa.  Get the news out there.  Print out flyers.  Herald it.

Plan with your friends and household to throw a party: food, drink, entertainment.  What is the most you can get away with?  Is there any other households that would want to go in with you?  Does anyone have any other good ideas?  Can you start small, make it over the top, and inspire others to join you?

No matter what other people do, have a good time.  The place may be a ghost town, but the people that stayed will remember it for years.  You can’t make people stay or camp, but you can make it memorable for yourself, your friends and those that did stick around.

You can only do so much, and people will do what they Want to do.

Beyond that, only you can make yourself happy.

Gustav

"There are people who say I have never really done anything wrong in my life; of course, they only say it behind my back." ---Oscar Wilde