Holidays

  • Turnover (13/28 – 1/1)
    The Fort region is known Pern-wide for its Turnover celebrations. Fort Hold has a large Turnover gather that goes hand-in-hand with a concert series held at Harper Hall. The festivities kick off as early as the week before the last day of the turn with people pouring into the Hold from all parts of Fort’s coverage area and beyond. Traders, craftsman, riders, holders, all come together to celebrate the turning over of the year.
  • Landing (1/28 or 2/1)
    Another festival who’s meaning is largely lost to time is a smaller celebration and focuses on celebrating the arrival of the Ancients. Again, from where isn’t too clear, but that’s not really the point. Eat, drink, be merry and sing more of those weird Ancient tunes around a bonfire. This celebration takes place on the last day of the first month or the first day of the 2nd month and corresponds to the colonist’s ‘Thanksgiving’ party at Landing during the first turn of the Colony.
  • Spring Gather (4/1 – 4/8)
    Held starting late in the 3rd month and through the 4th month, spring gathers in the Fort region are primarily trading festivals intended to get holders ready for the growing season. Seeds, saplings and other plantings are frequent trade items in the spring. Spring Gather is also the traditional starting point of the academic ‘turn’ at Harper Hall, the end of the winter exam period leading to promotions, postings and an influx of new apprentices. New journeymen and postings are often announced during the Spring Gather by the Masterharper and the departing journeymen often embark with traders by wagon or on ships for distant postings after the Gather’s end. Fort’s Spring gather is usually held during the first week of the 4th month.
  • Crossing Day (Last day of Month 4, paired with Firstday at Fort)
    Though the meaning of Crossing Day has largely been lost to the mists of time, it’s still celebrated across Pern and has a bit more prominence at Fort where traditions of the Ancients’ exodus from the South cling, even if the particulars are long-forgotten. It’s associated as a celebration of the Ancients’ and their journey to Fort though where exactly they were coming from is hazy and speculative. Several very old songs with strange words that don’t mean much to contemporary Pernese are common entertainment for Crossing Day. As are foot races and hopping games for children.
  • Firstday of the Weyr (5/1)
    Firstday celebrates the founding of Fort Weyr. Typically an outdoor barbecue-type celebration with a bonfire and a lot of dancing is held along the lake shore at the Weyr. Additionally, several traditional ballads are typically performed by harpers during the early part of the day. Each of these ballads recounts the story of a key part of Fort’s history. Always popular is the Ballad of Moreta’s ride and the performance and the singer chosen to sing the part of Moreta tend to get a lot of attention.
  • Summer Gather (7/1 – 7/8)
    Marriages are typical facet of the summer gathers, with many betrothals made at Turnover or a spring gather made binding by vows exchanged at the summer gather. The focus of the summer gathers in the Fort region often focus on textiles and fashion.
  • Harvest Day (9/28)
    Harvest Day is held on the last day of month 9 and frequently aligns with the first or last day of Fort’s autumn gather which is a large, harvest gather oriented on trading produce. At the Weyr, Harvest Day is often a celebration that kicks off the start of the tithing season as wagons roll in from around the coverage area bearing the produce and supplies that will see the Weyr through another turn.
  • ‘Fashion Week’
    The unveiling of key designs from various weaver halls throughout Fort and from the main Hall at Boll takes place during each gather season. Different fashion weeks take place at Fort and Boll respectively as part of the seasonal gathers. Tradesman typically are very interested in picking up pre-made clothing based on the latest designs to stock their wagons in spring and summer especially for travel to other parts of Pern. Dickering over fashions can be fierce and is a key economic staple for both Fort and Boll.