Assistance Required With Creating Enjoyable RP Events

[Pinkcrusade]

Greetings, Playground.

I will be DMing for the first time tomorrow, and I am asking for some assistance concerning a few hours of side quests and the like. The campaign starts off with the PCs (not knowing each other at this point) all going to a giant festival, and I am planning that after a bit of RPing, character development, and lighthearted enjoyment (at the festival), the festival will be invaded and then the group will get together and that will be the beginning of the campaign. So, I have the actual invasion portion of the event planned already, but I am having some trouble coming up with some material that would be entertaining for a few hours at this festival prior to the invasion.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.


Thank you.

[BowStreetRunner]

Complete Warrior pp 130-133 has rules for some entertainments like Jousts, Archery Contests, and even a magical competition. Complete Arcane pp 175-178 has more rules for magical competitions.

[Callin]

Knife throwing and Arm Wrestling contests can be fun. Shooting Dice and carousing the inns or vendors. Trying to catch a greased pig. Poetry/Song/Musical Instrument Competition. Religion Debate. Wizards casting Prestidigitation on stuff for kids amuesment. Clerics creating water to cool off people, shower style. Druids showing off wierd or exotic animal companions. Exotic animals period. Jugglers and acrobats. Drinking contests (though a drunk pc could be bad in the fight or fun to play out lol). Fireworks that get set off early lol or planned for later and the pcs know about em and can use them in the fight later if they remember and so choose. Foot Races.

Basicall anything that would be at a Medieval Faire with a Fantasy twist.