The Sponsors' Tale

 Organizing a big festival is always a huge headache, and you really have to take your hat off to anyone with the nerve to do it. They often end up making a significant financial contribution too, because the setting up of a temporary grid costs rl money. 

This year, the total cost of running the festival is $1040, and a little more than half that has been pledged.  One way that you can help out with it all is by becoming a Sponsor. 

For as little as three bucks you can get kudos and publicity, and brownie points with the higher power, so why not consider helping out? OK I may be lying about the higher power, let's call it the HG power.

There are lots of levels at which you can contribute, and each one brings a bigger slice of land, publicity and warm glowy feeling, although the last might just be the wine, so don't quote me on that. 

Any extra money generated by the sponsors will be shared out among the performers - there will be about 90 over the 17 day event. 
Here are some stories from people who chose to go ahead and put their hand in their pocket for OpensimFest. How hard is it to sponsor? why did they want to do it? What do they hope to see at the event?

Lovely Bridgemere panorama

Bridgemere is a relatively new grid, but Hairy and friends are all virtual veterans. 

 Hairy Thor: Like most folks, Secondlife was our common ground to cut our teeth.  Opensim was and still is a viable alternative to Secondlife at a much lower cost.  The ability to jump from grid to grid aids in creating a larger expanse to become emerged in other's creativity. It also allows for friends to stay connected, even though where they call home, can be an entirely different grid.

Hairy Thor

 Hairy Thor:     We use the hypergrid a lot and felt the need to sponsor the Opensim Fest as it's like a 'family reunion'.  Even with the hg available, there are many grids that elect to keep their grids closed to outside traffic.  This is a great opportunity to meet up with old friends.  We didn't find the theme a challenge this year, as Amara is a big fantasy creator, so this is right up her alley. We look forward to seeing everything that everyone contributes to the Fest.

To learn more about Bridgemere, you can't do better than watch this episode of Inworld Review, as Hairy explains the grid and its many fine creators.

Phantom Rose owner Lannorra Sion  also gave a fantastic walkthrough of her grid on Mal's show Inworld Review a few weeks back, and it's a fabulous place. What makes Opensim the place to be for her?

Lannorra Sion One of the reasons I love the OS so much is as a creator of environments, I have such freedom!  With the lower cost of land and the ability to make my own grid, I have been able to realize the dreams I once had in Second Life, but could not achieve.  Hypergrid is one of the best developments in the Metaverse of Virtual worlds.  Being able to jump to other grids, gives us the opportunity to visit other grids, without having to register an avatar at each place.  It opens up so many possibilities.  I would never want to be in a “closed” grid again.  The OS is truly decentralized and gives the freedom for self expression.

Lannorra Sion I feel very connected to the OS.  This is my home and I love it and believe it should get more publicity.  I want to support our OS community as much as I can.  The theme really spoke to me as Phantom Rose has always been fantasy.  Originally based on a nexus between Phantom of the Opera and Anne Rice’s Vampires, I have expanded that now that it is a full grid.  I have many themes, which while grounded in reality have many fantasy aspects and of course I have a 5x5 Fantasy Medieval region opening soon, so that did not hurt. As for being a first time sponsor, I have been a bit anxious about the process.  I readily will say this is my issue and not the Fest’s problem.  I am a little OCD and l get anxious doing things for the first time when I do not know the process, but signing up was very easy.  

Lannorra Sion: I greatly admire the work of Luna Lunaria.  I also am so grateful to the early creators in the OS; Linda Kellie, Vbinnia Redek, Selea Core, Acadia Asylum, Lani Global from Lani Mall.  They all created and gave to the community to help it grow.  There are many  more and I am sorry I do not have all their names at my fingertips, but I respect and thank you.  I am trying in my own small way to give back with free creations for my visitors.   I also want to give my thanks to the many merchants who sell items to the OS.  While I could probably build anything I need… I do not want to!  I love to shop on Kitely or at other grids.  So thank you merchants!

Wildwood Bayou grid sashayed onto the hypergrid scene just a few years ago, but has quickly become one of the opensim's favorite venues for music and relaxing in a N'Awlins frame of mind. 

I asked the group why they love Opensim, and Fitheach Eun relayed to me the group's answers.

Fitheach Eun: (answering for the tribe) The great thing about OpenSim is the way it enables anyone to create a grid that fits their special dreams and focus in an affordable setting and share it with whoever they wish. The hypergrid is essential to this, as it draws together what would otherwise be a lot of small isolated grids into one large community. Wyldwood Bayou, for example, is a hypergrid community, with most of the Tribe and our guests coming from the hypergrid. Only staff and roleplayers live on Wyldwood Bayou. Our roleplay groups travel all over the hypergrid and encourage participation from other grids.

Fitheach Eun: (answering for the tribe) We believe in OpenSim and wanted to support the event, since it draws communities together, which is very much in line with our principles, so sponsoring was a natural choice for us. Of course, it’s also great marketing for the Wyldwood Bayou grid, including the clubs, the roleplay and all of our scenic, historical and recreational regions. The medieval/fantasy theme is a perfect fit for us, as both of our roleplay groups are Medi-Fantasy. You’ll see that in our exhibit, which features the 4 main music venues and the Medi-Fantasy roleplay groups and roleplay hub along with interesting areas like our mini N’Awlins, which celebrates our love of the city.

The Wyldwood group on Mal Burns' show, The INworld Review

Fitheach Eun: (answering for the tribe) All of our Wyldwood Bayou DJs are performing, so of course we are looking forward to having road trips from the clubs to see them. Naturally, we believe that we have the best DJs on the hypergrid, however, we enjoy all genres of music and are excited to hear some of the live performers and DJs who we have not heard before. We are eager to see all the exhibits, we love the diversity, varied emphasis and creativity from across the hypergrid. And of course, we hope for some great shopping from the merchants.

Thanks to all the sponsors, for helping cover the cost of the Fest. If you would like to contribute, go here:https://www.opensimfest.com/callforsponsors and help make the magic happen!