daemonism

The celebration is simply known as the Festival; it might once have been known as the Festival dell'Arte, but over time, the name has been shortened as the festival has grown, and there's no longer any need to indicate which festival is being referred to. It's a sprawling celebration, taking over most of Cittagazze for the better part of August. Originally intended as a friendly competition among acting companies to put on plays in different venues, it's grown far beyond that. There are still shows on a nightly basis, crammed in wherever the actors can find space, and travellers might find plays from their own worlds being performed alongside the old traditional pieces and new plays written by enterprising university students. Dramas, comedies, romances, musicals, one-man shows of all kinds; the actors take to the street in costume during the day, doing whatever they can to entice audiences to coming that night.

They aren't the only performers on the streets, either: buskers are found in every alleyway and corner, offering their talents in exchange for a few coins. The sound of music mingles with the strident declamations of monologues, and dancers and sleight-of-hand artists can be found working their magic as well. Sidewalk artists sketch on the pavement in broad sweeps of colour, and even a few balloon artists can be found, twisting balloons into whatever shape a passerby desires.

Local craftsmen have taken to offering their wares in stalls; most of them are gathered in a wide plaza outside a towering cathedral, along with more than a few artists from the Bazaar. Most of what can be found for purchase here is trinkets: jewelry and small pieces of art, from wood carvings to blown glass baubles. Small vials of perfume, silk scarves, anything that's easily transported. Here and there, a food stall can be found as well, positioned to take advantage of those out to enjoy the Festival.

Even the city itself seems to be getting into the act, flowers blooming riotously and adding patches of colour to the landscape. A cool ocean breeze blows in off the bay, keeping the summer weather from getting too hot. All in all, everything is just about perfect for any travellers who might be visiting the city.



[ooc: Welcome, everyone! We're officially open; this is just a mingle post to encourage people to thread around, but you can also make your own posts in this comm! Characters can have wandered into Cittagazze and ended up with their own daemon, have been visiting for awhile, or have had daemons in their own world - whatever floats your boat. Prose, actionspam, or any other sort of face-to-face interaction is welcome. Please check out the tag request post for tagging guidelines, and ask if you have any questions!]