By Bixyl Shuftan
The Fantasy Faire has come and gone, but it certainly won't be forgotten. For a few days after the event was officially closed, and probably for several days after, people continued to chatter. The day after, I invited people to share their stories, and screenshots. Two people took me up on the offer.
Prokofy Neva: I was dithering about buying this Dinkie outfit and then
time ran out and three mages walked me out to the safe hub with my
cardboard box of goods, so astarrynite agreed to buy the outfit as a
gift, for which I am grateful.
Kira Skydancer (Kira Fairelander): Well... I'm apparently failed in my
quest to fly the Faire one last time. I didn't crash, but I'm stuck. But
what an appropriate place for a dragon to *be* stuck. so I'm playing
with EEPs, (laughter). https://gyazo.com/d53ed4b91ee39b40a0626658291cb70c
When asked about the Faire being closed, "Maybe? I'm still here, just can't move. There are others in this region too."
And then, there was this final post in the blog:
Sonya does all she can to convince me to write something for the
website at least once a Faire season. Sometimes she succeeds, but more
often then not, the Faire comes and goes before I have time to sit down
and collect my thoughts. This year I was able to co-host the opening
tour of the Fairelands on FFR with Zander Greene. I love the audio
introduction to the regions which has become the traditional opening of
Fantasy Faire. To be part of welcoming Fairelanders home after months
away is a gift I feel very fortunate to share with Zander. The
soundtrack sets the stage for the adventures awaiting Faire visitors in
the coming days as they start off on their explorations of the assembled
worlds.
It also gave me a chance to say something that I felt needed to be
said. I didn’t want to simply welcome people to the 2025 Fantasy Faire. I
wanted to welcome Fairelanders home. I wanted to embrace each of you
and thank you for returning. For bringing your light back to the
Fairelands. For contributing to the magic that fuels the Faire and flows
through our community, illuminating our time together and creating
enough residual energy that we continue to glow with the warmth and
brilliance of the Faire for months to come. No darkness can survive the
light of our community.
We came to a Faire full of darkness, but not hopelessness. We found
the hope in every shadowed corner and embraced it. Arriving from a
physical world full of increasing challenges, we came together in the
Fairelands reaffirming our friendships and our shared desire to make a
world where the Unweaver’s influence shrinks every day. Where every
action, large or small, monetary or emotional, brightens the strength of
our heart lights and makes the darkness across realms retreat.
I knew coming into this year that my goal was not to reach some
number on a RFL kiosk. I knew whatever we raised during the course of
the Faire would be life changing to people around the globe. But I also
knew that the act of being a community of Fairelanders together would
also change our lives for the better. I look at the RFL kiosk in front
of me as we prepare for the regions to fade back into the Mists and I am
shocked at what we were able to do in a year as turbulent as 2025. I am
even more shocked when I realize that in the rush of all the things,
there was no good time for me to add additional funds to our total,
including the store and sponsorship donations, the website donations,
and the wootable and memorial candle sales. All told the final total for
this year’s Faire is 31,980,309L (still going up) or 127,921usd.
Take a moment for that to sink in.
In 2025 we not only raised a bit more than we did last year BUT we
also crossed the point where Fantasy Faire has now raised over 1 million
USD lifetime total. All I wanted was for us to be together. To be happy
and remember that we each carry the light of the Fairelands in our
hearts throughout the year, but during the Faire, we are a bonfire! Then
you went and raised an unprecedented amount of money for the global
cancer programs that the American Cancer Society supports on top of
that. What more is there to say? Unweaver, go away! There is no place
for you to play today. Faire on!
Oh and there WILL be a party Relay Weekend, June 6-7. Don’t think
there won’t be. We are going to rock Relay to it’s foundations as only
Fairelanders can!
With Love and Appreciation,
Elizabeth aka Fantasy
For me, it was another great Faire. I've enjoyed ever one that I've attended, enjoying the detailed scenery, the smaller events here such as the parties and tours, the shopping, the Fairelands Quest (the story more than the prizes, but the latter's a great bonus) and the enthusiasm of the people here.
I wasn't able to spend as much time here as in previous years, missing out on some events, and the Children of Stories seems to have skipped a year, for some reason (maybe they needed another year to come up with a great story).
While I'd love to post the hundreds of pictures I've posted, sadly time is short, and I must move on to both the demands of real life and the next story.
If any of you have more stories about the Faire, feel free to send them to the Newser, bixylshuftan@gmail.com
Until next year, Fairlanders,
Bixyl Shuftan
