Our first year at WildeRealm Fest was everything we hoped for and more. Here's a quick chronicle of every adventure, every mile, and every magical moment from the week.
Wednesday: Rain, Resilience, and a Missing Kitty
We woke up Wednesday morning to one of those sunrises that makes every aching muscle worth it; golden light spilling over the mountains, the kind of quiet that only exists before the world remembers it's busy.
Our bookstore kitty, Sir Fritz, had other ideas. He'd escaped his kennel again; he does, but we weren't too worried. He had to be close, and he's been camping with us in the WildeRealm before.
Jason and his son took charge of breakfast, feeding the crew before the real work began. Not long after, our rentals started rolling in: tables and chairs from High Peak Event Rental, and Mondragon Septic arriving with our porta-potties. The WildeRealm was taking shape.
We'd mapped out the grounds in advance, so we got straight to work before the rain was projected to arrive; we marked off parking, camping areas, and gathering tent locations. First up: our brand new 40x20 tent. Five of us. Three and a half hours. Every stake, every pole, every gust of wind fought us for it.
And the moment we got it up? The sky opened.
Rain. Hail. Wind. All at once.
We held our breath and then exhaled. Everything inside was safe. The tent held. We were so grateful in that moment, standing in the downpour, laughing a little at the timing of it all. The rain came and went for the next few hours, keeping us humble and on our toes.
Wednesday evening was meant to be a casual gathering — a soft opening of sorts, where vendors, performers, and musicians could come out, get the lay of the land, and connect before the weekend. We'd planned for around 6 PM.
The weather had other plans.
At least four or five people couldn't make it; their cars simply weren't built for the roads in those conditions. Two of our burlesque performers were dealing with a family emergency and had to step away entirely. We'd overbooked with intention, knowing life happens, but even so, the cancellations stacked up fast.
And yet.
The performers who made it through the rain and the mud and the winding roads? They didn't miss a beat. They gathered, they talked, they problem-solved, and by the end of the night, they had a plan. The weekend's lineup was covered. The magic would go on.
That's the thing about the people who show up for something like WildeRealm. They show up all the way.
As the evening wound down, we realized Sir Fritz was still nowhere to be found.
The Realm held its breath. Tomorrow the WildeRealm Portal opens for the 1st time...