The Balloon race on Saturday was a sight to see and as I understand it the contestants had a lot of fun! It was also rather amusing to see our stalwart aviators contend for the flags and sail off to their next destinations. Our Winners were the team of MariaAdelaide and ElisabethPhilippineMarie Monpenier who sailed in to the finish at Falcon Garde Castle well ahead of the other contenders. Congratulations! I was so enthralled I forgot to take but one picture and alas I can't get it to upload tonight. I'll try again tomorrow!

Skye, Duchesse du Coeur

The Ballroom was decorated, portraits hung and box seats assigned as the first strains of music began and the guests began to arrive at the Gala Ball. After the ball, Pianist Champagne Rain opened the Fall season of the Music Academy with a wonderful concert. We have many more events planned including one this weekend. See schedule posted here at Royal Courts.

I am bruised, battered, wet and bedraggled but the video is finished. View it here on YouTube:

Enjoy and feel free to rate and comment.

Duchesse Skye )

Well it's been a long day but very exciting and fun! Here are some pics from the rest of the Saturday venues. We have an entire day of festivities tomorrow also so drop on by! We listened to artists ZeroOne Paz, Seba Sideways, Miles Eleventhour and Ichie Kamachi all simply wonderful!

We are presently at the Elvera Performance at the Languedoc tavern. We have almost 40 people here! People are dancing , sitting in the courtyard and in (and on) the audience seats. See Pics! ZeroOne will perofrm next at 2:30 at Lieu de Foret in Provence come on by!

We had a blast at the festival today! It started in Provence at the art contest, browsing all the paintings then off to the dock in Aquitaine for the artist colony grand opening. We then took the carriage over to the Languedoc beach for Sandia's performance. Unfortunately she had technical problems and it had to be cut short. We made up for it later though with Joaquin Gustav's great guitar playing. I set my viewer to sunset and I felt like i was really there on a hot summer night! After that I took a short break then went over to the Pavillion in provemce coeur for Waltkeys Faith's Performance. what a great way to end the evening, so romantic! Here are some pics and be sure to drop by the Duchy tomorrow for another round of great performers!

The tables were set and the ballroom decorated as we waited for our guests to arrive. We didn't know what to expect...often events which are for sponsorship don't go well. Imagine our surprise when people started pouring in from not only the Duchy but from many other courts to lend their support to our Performing Arts Academy! During the course of the afternoon over 50 people came to the event and bid on the donations so generously provided from people in and out of our royal court communities. Duc Bedrich and I, along with Baharat Atlas and the Academy members want to give a huge hug to everyone who came and participated! Your generousity will enable us to bring more exciting live events to the Duchy in the coming months. We already have plans for another Art contest and a Music Festival and many other artists are being lined up to perform. You can be sure your donations will be well spent. Thanks to you all again and here

are some pictures from the event. Duchesse Skye

It was a grand event at our official opening of the Opera house. Over 35 members of our community came to listen to the wonderful artist Young Zied accompanied on piano by Izabela Jaworower play a selection of spring songs by various Classical and Romantic era composers. Here are some pictures of the event.