What's happening in your world?

[Farseer]

^

EDIT: Doh! Whenever I do the 'up arrow' thingy, my post becomes the first one on the next page!

[joost]

Three days festival in Utrecht: Summer Darkness. Tonight an acoustic show and a ball masqué, tomorrow and sunday all day concerts. And I'm gonna see a lot of friends I haven't seen in awhile, so I'm really looking forward to this weekend.

['thul]

These beings are now back from their two-day visit to the world scout jamboree. It was fairly nice, if a bit warm. The scale was fairly impressive as well.

'thul managed to avoid getting tossed out of camp, so they are fairly happy about that.

[fool-ish]

Utter madness on the streets of England! Pointless, mindless acts of looting and arson but the police do little because they're not allowed to do any more. Pfft! Too damn soft in this country! Rant over

[redchild]

So much for surveillance cameras.

[Clarity]

In my city right now it couldn't be any more different from what has gone on in the UK.
We are having our annual Agricultural Exhibition which we call "The Ekka". (Australians like to give people, places and events a shortened nickname. If Robin Hobb lived here she would be called "Rob" by her friends.)
A lot of country people bring their livestock and produce to the capital city to enter competitions. It's one of the only times city people see anything about country life. It's one of the best times in the year. There are fun events too like Side Show Alley where there are rides - ferris wheels, roller coaster-type things but more sophisticated for today's kids. Plus there is entertainment of all types: rock concerts, school bands, fashion shows, a circus, rodeos, precision car driving. It all lasts 10 days.
I once went to a County Fair in the States which is a bit like our Ekka but not as big. Does anything like this happen in your countries?

['thul]

The biggest such event in the earthly nation known as Norway is the 17th of may celebrations. The constitution day.
The scale of it is almost incomparable to events such as the one you described.

Just try to imagine every single child (of school age) in an entire country as well as a considerable number of the adults walking in a parade, with most of the others spread out along the parade route. Then add in that they are dressed in some of the finest clothes they own and that they wave around with flags. Then you get a weak impression of its scale.

[fool-ish]

England, as far as I'm aware doesn't have anything like 'the ekka'. Riots and mayhem in abundance, but nothing of any use or note. There's a large gathering in London once a year for the 'trooping of the colour' which is a load of pomp and ceremony to do with the queen (I'm not a royalist, so don't bother with it) but that's about it I think. Scotland, Edinburgh to be precise, has an 'arts' festival every year which I believe is excellent and attracts many people..It's on my 'to do' list (very long list) St. Patrick's day for the Irish is a massive celebration too. Pfft! England's boring (and wet)

[Clarity]

England, as far as I'm aware doesn't have anything like 'the ekka'. Riots and mayhem in abundance, but nothing of any use or note. There's a large gathering in London once a year for the 'trooping of the colour' which is a load of pomp and ceremony to do with the queen (I'm not a royalist, so don't bother with it) but that's about it I think. Scotland, Edinburgh to be precise, has an 'arts' festival every year which I believe is excellent and attracts many people..It's on my 'to do' list (very long list) St. Patrick's day for the Irish is a massive celebration too. Pfft! England's boring (and wet)

I have been to a County Fair in Surrey when I visited England. It was really wonderful. There were Owls, otters, falcons and other birds of prey, fly fishing demonstrations, vintage tractor ploughing competitions, local organic produce, vintage cars - all so different from where we live. Plus the historic Home was built in Queen Elizabeth 1's time. Amazing to Aussies! And that's the joy of travelling. Everything is new and enjoyable. What you find boring, we find quaint and new - but perhaps it is a little wet!

[fool-ish]

England, as far as I'm aware doesn't have anything like 'the ekka'. Riots and mayhem in abundance, but nothing of any use or note. There's a large gathering in London once a year for the 'trooping of the colour' which is a load of pomp and ceremony to do with the queen (I'm not a royalist, so don't bother with it) but that's about it I think. Scotland, Edinburgh to be precise, has an 'arts' festival every year which I believe is excellent and attracts many people..It's on my 'to do' list (very long list) St. Patrick's day for the Irish is a massive celebration too. Pfft! England's boring (and wet)

I have been to a County Fair in Surrey when I visited England. It was really wonderful. There were Owls, otters, falcons and other birds of prey, fly fishing demonstrations, vintage tractor ploughing competitions, local organic produce, vintage cars - all so different from where we live. Plus the historic Home was built in Queen Elizabeth 1's time. Amazing to Aussies! And that's the joy of travelling. Everything is new and enjoyable. What you find boring, we find quaint and new - but perhaps it is a little wet!

There's not much going on up North where I live, or if there is, it's passed me by! Indeed, travelling does open us up to new experiences and I can see your point about quaint and new things. I know our history has a great fascination for visitors and I too am a great fan of historical things...I love a good castle! Wandering up and down this country over the years has brought new experiences, but there isn't any sort of 'national event' that the whole country partakes in that I know of. Today, we've been to a village where they filmed some of the film 'Yanks.' People dressed up in wartime gear, re-enactments, parades and the like (unfortunately, Richard Gere failed to make an appearance! Was a good afternoon, one or two drinks later! And now it's pouring down again!