The Festival of a Thousand Flowers

[Dapper Dog]

The Festival of a Thousand Flowers

On Alderaan at the turn of Spring to Summer there is a grand planet wide festival. As said by the common folks, all days belong to the Crown but the ten that belong to the Flowers and the People. During this celebration the noble houses throw grand parties for ten days, the traditional week before conversion to the Galactic Standard. But unlike most celebrations these are for the benefit of the masses, where the High serve the Low, by feasting them and putting on grand pageants. It is a truly poor or wretched House that does not participate in the custom.

The Festival of a Thousand Flowers was said to commemorate the wedding of a House Alde queen to a common born youth who aided her and she in turn gifted him with a Crown made of one thousand flowers delicately woven together. This romantic gesture flavors the whole celebration as it is both a year end celebration and one of new beginnings, with the final day taking place on the first day of the New Year by the traditional calendar. Now it is more symbolic as the calendar has not been used in generations but the custom stands.

It is a time of dancing, feasting, and romance and it is common for many proposals and betrothals to be announced during or at the end of the Festival and often customary for one of the betrothed or lovers to present the other with a hand woven, often purchased, flower crown. One of the biggest celebrations is held at the Grand Spring Palace of the Royal Crown, often called the Silver Spires by most. Here the Queen holds her grand pageant and opens the grounds to the people, who chosen by lottery, unless specifically invited get to see the grounds and party for ten days. People wander the Thousand Flower Gardens, easily the most beautiful garden in the sector sprawling over several kilometers, The Hedge Maze, or even visit the spot where the legend began.

The nobility treat their people well, to show them that they love and appreciate them for their loyal service, and although that is the reason the more modern celebrations are generally drunken revelries of romance, bad decisions, and a right of passage. Running the Maze is often a euphemism for young lovers having an illicit tryst, while less licentious individuals will pilgrimage to the statue of Queen Hileen Alde and kiss the feet of the stature for good luck in love or marriage. Getting Crowned, is the highlight which usually happens on the tenth day just after sundown, where betrothed and lovers present a Crown of Flowers as a token of devotion.

At the end of the Festival the small folk return to their duties and the nobility to theirs, often with the belief that what happened at Festival stays at the Festival.