Growfest
The second of the four festival weeks in the Greyhawk Calendar, Growfest represents the
beginning of Low Summer. The Spring Equinox is the 4th of Growfest. The week is particularly
sacred to Atroa, as well as the Old Faith.
The elves call Growfest Springrite, and spend the week around the equinox dancing and
singing, involving themselves in nothing but merriment. All important decisions and actions are
postponed by the elves until the week is over, with the significant exception that this is when
most elven couples marry or announce their betrothals.
Each festival week is marked by the aquamarine moon Celene shining full in the night sky.
The following holidays and celebrations take place during Growfest in Gradsul:
Growfest 3: Yondalla’s Blessing. A day when halflings celebrate their creation and
being the blessed of Yondalla. Gifts are exchanged with all they know and the first signs of
spring are praised. At this point and until the seventh, the halflings engage in celebrating every
facet of their lives.
Growfest 4: Spring/Vernal Equinox, Saint Cuthbert's Day is the largest festival
celebrated by Saint Cuthbert’s church. It involves locals and pilgrims gathering at a city’s gate at
dawn and parading and singing along a major road until they reach the local shrine or temple.
Children swipe at everyone within reach with switches in a custom known as “the cleansing.” At
their destination, a cleric brings out a replica of the Mace of Cuthbert and there is a great feast
from noon until dusk, and then a bonfire from sundown until midnight that the faithful believe can
remove curses and misfortune. The Feast of Atroa is a celebration of a new growing season
and the promise of prosperity. This is a time when communities gather together to plan for the
future. The day’s community work is then relieved with revelry in the evening where bonds of
friendship often grow.
Growfest 5: Day of Honor. An Oerdian holiday where loyalty of vassals to masters is
celebrated. It remembers the duties of both to each other and to the commoners. Alms are given
to the poor, gifts from masters to vassals and vice versa. The First Rainbows of Spring. An
elven celebration between the Elves and the Flan that remembers the promise of cooperation
and fellowship between them. A large celebration in Geoff, but it happens wherever Flan and
Elves are in large numbers together.
Growfest 7: The Desportium of Magick. The Desportium of Magick is a contest between
illusionists who seek to cast the most magnificent display of illusion/phantasm magic. Foolsday.
Foolsday is sacred to Olidammara and other trickster gods. In Gradsul, it is traditional to send
someone ‘hunting the gawk’ {a meaningless errand}.
Primary Related Location
Comments