twilightpony | Crystal Empire Winter Festival

Never a dull moment! Well, we're back from a great few days taking in the Winter Festival and all that the Crystal Empire has to offer. In more ways than one.

It was crowded! Even the train was crowded. We were packed like apples in a barrel on that train, but everypony was so excited about this trip, we were happy, singing apples. It got very hot in our compartment. Fortunately it was also a quick trip.

After we poured out of the train, dripping with sweat and steaming in the cold Crystal Empire air, two royal guards pounced on Spike and spirited him off. We divided up Rarity's luggage and made our way to the castle.

We found our rooms, and by that time I felt a bit less than presentable in my dried, sweat-matted fur. Fortunately, we knew where the spa is. Better yet, there wasn't a crowd at the spa. So all six of us got refreshed at the spa before heading out to the festival.

Even though we were early and the festival was just starting up, there were already crowds of ponies on the fairgrounds. There were also stands selling food and goods, and dozens of ponies hard at work making ice sculptures on the fair grounds and along the parade route in the city. The grand opening would begin at nightfall, with a parade, fireworks, a gala dinner and all night dance parties. But the giant ice slide was in full operation and we took the opportunity to plan when and where we'd watch the next day's activities. We were all invited to the gala dinner and I was expected to sit at Princess Cadence's table. I expected we'd find Spike there too.

Evening comes early in the Crystal Empire. We were watching ponies light up some of the finished ice sculptures when we heard fugel horns and drums approaching. We got off the road and out of the way to watch as a sparkling procession wound around a corner and headed to the Crystal Empire fair grounds. There were marching ponies, acrobats, jugglers, bands making a deafening din, floats, and perched high up on a float next to the festival princess, Spike, waving to the crowd. The marching ponies were all wearing hats with colored streamers dangling from the brim on all sides, a lot like the one Rarity had made a while back. I could swear Rarity turned a light shade of pink, but then, it was too dark out to see.

The dinner was in a big building on the fairgrounds made entirely with ice and carved to look like a giant snowflake. We couldn't have been more than a few hundred ponies at the dinner, so it was an honor to have been included on the guest list, especially at the last minute! Spike was there, Princess Cadence made a speech, and the food was all Crystal Pony specialties. Outside, the dance party was already underway, and getting louder. Princess Cadence may be getting a bit bigger around the middle.

Fluttershy, Applejack, Spike and I left before it got too late (Spike was falling asleep despite the stomp-step line dancing of the crowd and the four-part harmony whinnying on stage by the Beach Bays). I don't know what time Dash, Rarity and Pinkie got in, Fluttershy, Spike and I shared the same room.

The next day the Winter Festival was in full swing. We woke up Pinkie, Dash and Rarity, had a quick breakfast from the castle kitchen and trotted off to see the events!

I'll write about that tomorrow.