This was my second Festival of Legends and my first as a performer. FoL, as it is called by the participant in an affectionate shorthand, is the brainchild of producer Jeff Kass (Yes, that Jeff, my sweetie and I am so very proud of him.) It is the first fairy festival of the unofficial fairy festival season and therefore takes places in that sweet spot of North Carolina weather that is both beautiful and mutable. Last year was soggy, cold, overcast and despite the high spirits of the participants, it was a smaller showing than all of us were expecting. I am the Media Coordinator and Artistic Director of FoL now, which has been a fun bit of “behind the scenes for me.”
This year, however, the sun was shining, the field green and the wind torrential. We were treated to the highest winds experienced in that county in almost 30 years.
I have to hand it to the people who come out each year to this event, however. It was, once again, a cheerfully capable lot of vendors and patrons.
I performed as The Royal Naga, a full, tail suited creature based on the naga mythology from areas of India. I pickes bright, vibrant colours for the costume, the largest one I have ever attempted. The suit was, despite it’s confining nature, comfortable and warm. I was more of a loving statue than someone with obviously displayed talents. I lay at the gate and welcomed guests into the ground proper.
Kids, it seems, either loved the character or were taken aback by it. Still young enough to believe what I presented as, but old enough to know it’s uniqueness.
The only drawback was the need for me to have a handler… or rather, someone to pick me up, roll me back to the long, low building that was the office and dump my snakey butt back out to change. My assistant was capable and I didn’t have a single issue with the cosume, I am quite pleased to say!
I can’t wait for next year, where our theme will be “Dreams!”
Silver Kitsune 