A Midwinter Night's Drum: Tavern Bards Party

🪘 Hear ye! Darren (beloved creator of our dearly departed Dûruk) is travelling from over the oceans to visit us, so we’re throwing a big tavern party for the love of music, immersive fantasy and to celebrate his brief return! This will be a costumed event but light on lore—a bards' night, with opportunities to roleplay but mostly about the music. It will be set in a dreamlike midwinter fantasy world, which means any character could be there without messing up the timeline….

✉️ Event entry options:

1) Donation (pay what you feel is right, via the fundraiser or at the door)

2) Volunteering

However, you will also need a ticket to come to this- the tickets are free. This is so we can plan catering and don’t overload our venue capacity.


📜Volunteer applications for party prep crew are here.
If you’re hyped and want to help somehow, big or small, let us know!
There will be a custom, unique bard party memento for the superstar volunteer crew who help to make this happen.

🎵 Bards and groups who want to perform will be booked ahead of time for slots throughout the night. These will be interspersed with shared songs that everyone can join in on, whether they’re skilled musicians or not (the lyrics and chords will be printed out in a small handbook). We will also try to allow some opportunities for open mic if we're running on time. Bard applications are open until 8pm on Tuesday July 14th and can be made here.

💰Sámhlaoch Swords is currently fronting the costs for the party / the venue hire and would really appreciate any monetary help for those who have the means to chip in. He has also pledged to help interstate bardic friends of Darren coming from out of town with costs for them to travel for the party. The fundraiser is here!

🏡Physical location: this is a themed and beautiful hall in Brunswick. It has all amenities, is ground floor level with close proximity to Sydney Road, the Upfield train line and buses, as well as on street parking. 

🌳There is a park right beside the hall if we do have too many people for the venue capacity, so no one misses out. 

Catering/Drinks
We want to offer light catering and if you are bringing potluck, please make it easy to eat, grazing style food.

Food should be easy to eat nourishing, vegetarian, nut and gluten free snacks with vegan options. Juice, cordial and tea/coffee/cocoa will be our beverages.
Bring a thematic vessel to drink from, as limited cups will be provided.

PG13+ Mature young people are welcome with a parent or guardian.
This is officially an alcohol free event, however the venue is very close to several pubs on Sydney Road should attendees wish to bevvy up and get in the mood! Bring a thematic tankard to drink from discreetely, and we won't ask what's in it.

📖 Theme/lore: 

The setting is ‘The Drum Goblin’- a medieval-fantasy tavern that people can bring their characters to, whether they are living, departed, or created just for the night. The Drum Goblin is in a portal to a sideworld where magical creatures and spirits move freely, but it still feels very tactile and real. Midsummer Night's Dream, but in midwinter, and with LOTS of music!

Perhaps this happened in the past or we are all just dreaming… who knows, let’s party! 📣 🎻 🥁

Costume or character guide: Any character you want from any world (but with historical-fantasy aesthetic: not contemporary or futuristic). Whatever you wear, dress warmly as you would for a semi-outdoor event in winter. Fantasy creatures, fae races and benevolent spirits of the dreamworld are welcome, as are deceased characters (but they may not know they are dead or clearly remember events from their lives).

Instruments do not need to be themed and can be modern although preferably with any stickers or branding covered up- if you bring your own instrument please mark your name on it.

There’s also a FB page for this event if you want to chat with others about it! Discord hopefully to come, as well.

(Images used are open source and royalty free unless otherwise specified.)

"If we shadows have offended,
Think but this and all is mended:
That you have but slumbered here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,"