Looking for a full calendar of SL16B events? Here it is! Keep checking this page for updates to the daily SL16B calendar of events. Here you'll find the specifics on live deejay events, Music Faire performances and more!  Also, don't miss our complete SL16B preview of community exhibits in the Destination Guide. If you have an SL16B-related event or exhibit that isn't listed, please submit it via the Destination Guide submission form or contact us at editor@lindenlab.com. 

Do you use Google Calendar? If so, you can also add this Birthday Calendar directly to your own calendar by clicking here.

Earlier this month, we announced that price changes are coming to Second Life Premium Membership beginning June 24. However, Residents can lock in the existing lower Premium Membership rates for one more billing cycle by pre-paying or joining before the rates go up next week!

Here’s a summary of what is changing on June 24:

** Plus VAT in some European Union countries (if applicable) Please note that monthly and quarterly Premium Memberships for Residents who live in some European Union countries may also be charged value-added tax (VAT) in accordance with sales tax regulations. Please visit our VAT Policy page for more details and our Corporate Pricing page for a list of impacted countries.

For current Premium Members:

Premium Members have a limited-time opportunity to keep their current rates for one more billing cycle, as well as to change their plan between billing cycles and then pre-paying.  To activate your savings, simply pre-pay before the end of the day on June 24th to extend your current Membership at the same low rate. For example, Monthly members can pre-pay another month at the old rate, or switch to Quarterly and prepay another quarter at the old rate, or switch to Annual and pre-pay a year. When you pre-pay, your billing date will be moved out by the term for which you paid: if you pre-paid, for example, for an Annual membership, your new billing date would become current billing date + 1 year.  

To make changes to your account, including pre-pay or review of your current Plan, visit your Account page on Secondlife.com.

For new Premium Members:

Not yet Premium? You can also take advantage of this savings opportunity!

Premium Members get all sorts of perks including a weekly L$300 stipend, Premium virtual gifts, expanded live-chat customer support, increased Group Membership limits, exclusive access to Premium areas, priority access to nearly full regions and experiences, and more. To get your savings, just upgrade to Premium by the end of the day on June 23 to get the lower rate for your first billing cycle.

It's time for Music Faire!

As part of our 16th birthday celebrations - we have two days packed full of incredible live music for you to enjoy. Some of Second Life's biggest talents will be taking the stage this Friday and Saturday - June 21st and June 22nd -  from 10 AM to 4 PM, and you won't want to miss it! 

The lineup for Music Faire is ...

Throw on some virtual sunscreen and come out to the show!

SL16B Music Faire 1

Experience live music and interact directly with some of Second Life’s top musicians at SL16B Music Faire, held June 21-22.

Visit in Second Life

June is Pride month and many in the Second Life community are celebrating with month-long parties and events that celebrate our diversity and the ability to love freely without labels or limits. 

A highlight of the community events is the annual Second Pride event, held June 14-23. Check out the full event schedule to see what’s happening. You won’t want to miss the many deejay performances, parties and special “All About the Facts: Stonewall Edition” event.

Second Pride Festival

The 2019 Second Pride Festival will be held June 14th to 23rd. This is the 15th annual celebration of Second Pride in Second Life as well as the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, considered by many to be the event that sparked the gay rights movement. Performances run all day throughout the event, including dance parties with live DJs, performances by live singers, dancers, drag queens and more. The event is set on the Second Pride region, our homage to New York City, complete with our version of Central Park and a boardwalk reminiscent of Coney Island, along with plenty of surprises. Proceeds from the event go to support the Rainbow Railroad. Other events are held throughout the year. Everyone is welcome!

Visit in Second Life

There are plenty of other Pride-related events in Second Life, too. For example, London City is holding its annual London Pride celebration all month long!
 

London Pride

LGBT Pride comes to London City, and ties in with real-life pride in London. Featuring sensational live performers, tribute acts, free memorabilia and a pride parade. Runs through June, with events each and every day! Visit mainlandlondon.blogspot.com for more information.

Visit in Second Life

Check out the LGBT category in the Destination Guide for even more spots to explore. Happy Pride!

One of the best things about our community is its unwavering support for good causes. Fundraising events and designer fairs that give back to nonprofit initiatives are so ubiquitous that they are now part of our common virtual culture. That’s why we’re excited to call attention to and support both Relay For Life and World Oceans Day - both events take place June 8.

FREE T-SHIRTS IN THE MARKETPLACE

For a limited time, you can grab your free virtual t-shirt promoting one or both causes in the Second Life Marketplace.

• Free Relay for Life t-shirt

• Free World Oceans Day t-shirt  

RELAY FOR LIFE IN SECOND LIFE

In Second Life, the annual Relay for Life event is packed with events on June 8 including the survivor/caregiver walk and Luminaria Ceremony.  Login, show your support and help raise funds for an important cause. Your presence and contributions do make a difference - over $3.5 million USD have been raised by these efforts over the past decade!

Relay for Life 2019

The premier fundraiser for the American Cancer Society is free and open to the public. Relay Weekend is a fun-filled, overnight event that unites Second Life residents throughout the world to celebrate survivors, remember loved ones, and raise money for the fight against cancer. Opening ceremony starts at 10am SLT on June 8th. For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/rflofsl

Visit in Second Life

WORLD OCEANS DAY IN SANSAR

There’s a big event happening June 8 in Sansar, too. This World Oceans Day, you don't have to leave home to make a difference.

Help clean a virtual beach in Sansar on Saturday, June 8, from 12 to 5 PM PT, as we celebrate the world's oceans and raise money for EarthEcho International!

To join, simply log into Sansar if you have an account (or download it if you haven’t yet), pick one of 4 shark avatars for yourself, and meet us on the beach, where we'll be picking up virtual trash, bouncing around, and playing games. As more trash gets collected, amazing sculptures will begin to form in the experience.

For every shark that joins, we'll be donating $5 to EarthEcho, along with an additional $5K if we complete the sculpture before the event ends. As a bonus: The Roddenberry Foundation will be matching up to $5K!

It's a one-of-a-kind fundraising event and all you need is a PC to experience it. Don't miss out!

Second Life is home to many accomplished artists - creative individuals and groups who use the virtual landscape to express themselves through two-dimensional or three-dimensional exhibits and immersives experiences, music, story-telling, poetry, and much more.

Award-winning artist Bryn Oh has been telling unique and chillingly beautiful stories with her installations in Second Life for years. Her visual and virtual art has garnered her a fan base and reputation within the community.

Standby is the final part of the Rabbicorn trilogy, which began with the Daughter of Gears. All three parts to the story can be seen on the Immersiva Region - and parts are shown in this Destination Guide video.

Drop by and immerse yourself in the trilogy that tells the story of the Daughter of Gears and the Rabbicorn.

Bryn Oh's Standby

Standby is the final part of the Rabbicorn trilogy, which began with the Daughter of Gears. All three parts to the story can be seen on the Immersiva region.

Visit in Second Life

Be sure to share your pics on the Second Life Official Flickr group.

UPDATE: The limited-time opportunity for existing Premium members to lock in their current rates for one more billing cycle, including extending an existing monthly to use the current full year rate by upgrading now to annual is now available on the premium page. Simply renew before June 24th to extend your current Membership at the same low rate. For example, monthly members will be billed at the lower rate for one more monthly billing cycle, while annual members may renew (or monthly users may upgrade to annual) early to add one more year to your existing Membership at the current lower rate. If you have any trouble accessing the website, please note that it may be due to an increase in traffic and that the option will be available until the end of the day on June 24th.

On May 29, we made an announcement about future changes to Premium and Basic account features including plans to increase Group Memberships and offline IM limits for Premium account holders while reducing them for Basic accounts.

We’ve since heard strong and convincing feedback from many in our community about the impact of changing Group Membership limits for Basic accounts. For example, many Residents have shared how they rely heavily on Groups to stay informed about new product releases as Merchants use this feature to regularly communicate news and updates to their customers, and how much Groups are used for keeping communities active.

We hear your concerns and, as a result, Group Membership limits for Basic Residents will NOT be reduced as part of our Premium Membership changes rolling out on June 24. While Basic Members will continue to have an unchanged limit of 42 groups, all Premium Members will still see their limits increased from 60 to 70.

Here’s the revised summary of Premium feature changes:

Our goal is to increase Group performance for everyone - whether you are Basic or Premium. As a result, we will be prioritizing some development resources to address Group performance.

We know change can sometimes be frustrating, so we appreciate your patience. Your feedback is helping to inform some of these revisions, so we’ll continue to listen closely.

Please see the original blog post for all pricing changes planned for June 24.  Land prices will decrease as announced on June 3, and existing Premium Members can lock in their current rates for one more billing cycle.* Simply pre-pay between June 3 and the end of the day on June 24 to extend your current Membership by one more cycle at the current low rate.

Thank you again for all of the feedback. We do not make these kinds of decisions lightly but are always open to the feedback, criticism, and ideas from our incredible community, and willing to listen and learn.

* We will update our blog when the availability to lock in your current rate goes live on Monday. If you have any trouble accessing the website on that day, please note that it may be due to an increase in traffic and that the option will be available until the end of the day on June 24th.

There are several long-standing communities in Second Life who - year after year - celebrate the vibrancy, camaraderie and dedication to the common interest of their community. From role-play to theme, these groups find an enjoyable place on the Grid to not just visit, but to call home.

One such community is the 1920s Berlin Project - who this week is celebrating its 10th anniversary in Second Life! A decade of fun is a monumental landmark that is worthy of some parties to remember! There will be musical performances, dancing, art exhibitions, and more than likely and more than likely Jo Yardley (the Frou and proprietor of the establishment) sharing some of that infamous Schnapps. A full list of events in celebration of this occasion is available on their website.  Plan accordingly!  

For a taste of what life in 1920s Berlin was like, drop by for the party - but be sure to dress the part! These celebrations only last for this  week, but the 1920s Berlin Project has special events and meetups weekly - so if you miss out this week ( and why would you?) you can always swing by when the mood strikes.

1920s Berlin Project 10th Anniversary

1920s Berlin Project celebrates its 10th Anniversary in Second Life with a week filled with fun festivities! For a full schedule of events, visit 1920sberlinproject.wordpress.com.

Visit in Second Life

Be sure to share your pics on the Second Life Official Flickr group.

***This blog has been updated as of 9:00 am PT on 06/11/2019 to reflect that Quarterly premium payment options will continue to be available to new signups until we are ready to unveil the new additional  Premium plan.  ***

***This blog post has been updated as of 2:40 pm PT on 06/03/2019 to reflect that the purchase option to lock in another cycle is now available. Please read below for more information ***

*** This original blog post has been updated as of 04:55 pm PT on 05/31/2019 and is noted below where the updates have been made***

UPDATE: The limited-time opportunity for existing Premium members to lock in their current rates for one more billing cycle, including extending an existing monthly to use the current full year rate by upgrading now to annual is now available on the premium page. Simply renew before June 24th to extend your current Membership at the same low rate. For example, monthly members will be billed at the lower rate for one more monthly billing cycle, while annual members may renew (or monthly users may upgrade to annual) early to add one more year to your existing Membership at the current lower rate. If you have any trouble accessing the website, please note that it may be due to an increase in traffic and that the option will be available until the end of the day on June 24th.

LAND PRICE REDUCTIONS
Full Region Prices Reduced Again!

It’s happening again! As Second Life begins its 16th birthday next month, we’re celebrating by reducing Full Region prices by as much as $20/month! That’s more savings than ever to build, create and design your own home, business or experience in Second Life.

This round of pricing changes continues our commitment to improving the overall health of the Second Life economy, which had historically overly relied on payments for land. This change follows last year’s 15% Private Estates price drop and 10% Mainland price reduction and doubling of land allotment for Premium Members.  Excitingly, this is the first time we’re also lowering prices on grandfathered and buydown regions!

Check out the latest savings:

* Please note that these price reductions do not apply to Skilled Gaming Regions.  Education/Nonprofit (EDU/NP) discounted full islands will be re-priced to maintain their 50% discount off the regularly priced full islands. Further, Residents who live in some European Union countries may also be charged value-added tax (VAT) on Land fees in accordance with sales tax regulations. Please visit our VAT Policy page for more details and our Corporate Pricing page for a list of impacted countries.

PREMIUM & BASIC ACCOUNT CHANGES
New Perks, Price Changes & More

We’re also increasing the value of Premium Membership with higher limits on Group memberships and increasing caps on offline Instant Messages (IMs). These changes are coming just a few weeks after the debut of new themes and larger options for Linden Homes, which are available exclusively to Premium Members (who may alternatively opt to use their 1024m² tier allotment towards a parcel on the Mainland). Other Premium benefits remain unchanged, including the weekly L$300 stipend, Premium virtual gifts, expanded live-chat customer support, exclusive access to Premium areas, priority access to nearly full regions and experiences, and more.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s changing:

***This blog post edited @ 4:50 p.m. on May 31 to update the Premium Feature Changes chart and remove references to Basic Group Membership Limit changes. See the blog post Group Limits Update for more details.***

Even more improvements to Premium Membership are coming later this year: more new Linden Home themes and options as well as the introduction of an all-new membership level for those who want to get the absolute most out of their Second Life. Look out for updates to Events and more limit increases as well.  

While we continue to enhance the quality of Premium Membership, we’ve also made the difficult decision to make our first Premium price increase in over a decade. To see what’s changing, check out the chart below:

  * Quarterly plans may be renewed, but are no longer available for new Premium Memberships
  ** Plus VAT in some European Union countries (if applicable)

Please note that monthly and quarterly Premium Memberships for Residents who live in some European Union countries may also be charged value-added tax (VAT) in accordance with sales tax regulations. Please visit our VAT Policy page for more details and our Corporate Pricing page for a list of impacted countries.

To help with the transition to the new pricing, starting June 3, we’re offering a limited-time opportunity for existing Premium members to lock in their current rates for one more billing cycle, including extending an existing monthly to use the current full year rate by upgrading now to annual. Simply renew before June 24th to extend your current Membership at the same low rate. For example, monthly members will be billed at the lower rate for one more monthly billing cycle, while annual members may renew (or monthly users may upgrade to annual) early to add one more year to your existing Membership at the current lower rate. We will update when the option becomes available on June 3rd. Until then - if you are not up for renewal already, you will not see the option to lock in your current price. Keep an eye out for updates.

CREDIT PROCESSING FEE CHANGE

Effective June 24, the fee for processing credit transactions (i.e. paying real money into a PayPal or Skrill account) will be 5% per transaction with a minimum fee of US$3 (there is no maximum fee).  The fee is currently 2.5% per transaction. This fee change offsets increased regulatory and compliance costs to Linden Lab and is in line with our continued commitment to the long-term successful operation of Second Life.

IN CONCLUSION

This is a lot of change, and we appreciate that Residents will have questions and thoughts about the impact of these announcements. Please know that we are always aware of the responsibility we have in keeping Second Life a vibrant and successful world, and we do not make these changes lightly.

Our goal with today's announced pricing and feature changes is to proactively evolve and strengthen the Second Life economy. We hope that these ongoing efforts to bring a better balance to Second Life will ensure a prosperous future for the entire community for the next 16 years and beyond.   

Art is such a large part of lives. We find inspiration everywhere we look in the world, and inworld both. It can be two-dimensional or three-dimensional, composed with words, colors, paints, sculptures, multimedia, and pretty much anything you can think of!

The Raglan Shire has been celebrating Second Life art and artists for the last 14 years - and this year brings the 14th Artwalk to life across all of the Raglan Shire Regions. From now until June 16th, you can visit and explore all of the amazing artwork that has been curated and displayed in the great and virtual outdoors.

With 150 artists displaying artwork that spans from photography, paintings and sculptures, to music and poetry - you will find hours of entertainment and are bound to find some art that you’ll want to take back to your virtual homes.

For more information on the event, you can visit their webpage.

Raglan Shire's 14th Artwalk

Raglan Shire's 14th Artwalk is Sunday, May 12th until Sunday, June 16th. The 5 week long, multi-sim art festival, is beautifully displayed among the hedgerows in this tree city. Over 150 artists from around the world participate in this event. Everything from photography, paintings, drawings, and sculptures will be displayed. Artwalk features musical events, as well as our weekly games, poetry slam and DJs.

Visit in Second Life

Be sure to share your pics on the Second Life Official Flickr group.

Pic is from inkie Pixelstyles.

This June, Second Life turns 16 and we’re planning some fun ways to celebrate the Second Life community as a whole, as well as the incredible live music community within SL.

In recent years we’ve taken the popular idea of music festivals and brought them into the virtual world - all the music, merriment, and good times without the sunburn. Last year marked the 4th Music Fest, and this year, things are going to be a little different! We do have a Music Faire that we’re very excited to announce! Like Music Fest, Music Faire is a way to enjoy a ton of live music within Second Life as part of the birthday celebrations.

We’re holding an audition showcase to highlight some of the musical talent in the Second Life community. Many of you have been performing for years in virtual venues all over the grid, and we’d love to have you come showcase your talent. All genres are welcome! From bands to solo acts, rock and roll to electronica - we encourage anyone to sign up for consideration.

The Second Life Music Faire is an opportunity to perform at one of the biggest celebrations in Second Life and will be held on June 21st and 22nd this year from 10 am until 4 pm SLT.

To sign up for an audition, please complete and submit the submission form no later than June 1st, 2019. While we encourage everyone to sign up, it is not a commitment on your part and does not guarantee a spot at the auditions. We will review all submissions and extend audition invitations via email and/or notecards to the designated contact. Each invited act will have a short audition time (5 minutes max) to play.

All Residents are welcome to participate in the auditions as audience members. Again, I can’t stress enough what a great time it is to see so many musicians perform and support one another! For those who are interested, the audition location will be shared in a future blog post. Showcase dates and times are as follows:

• May 27, 2019 6 AM - 6 PM (SLT)
• May 28, 2019 6 AM - 6 PM (SLT)
• May 29, 2019 6 AM - 6 PM (SLT)
• May 30, 2019 6 AM - 6 PM (SLT)
• May 31, 2019 6 AM - 3 PM (SLT)
• June 3, 2019 6 AM - 6 PM (SLT)
• June 4, 2019 6 AM - 6 PM (SLT)
• June 5, 2019 6 AM - 6 PM (SLT)
• June 6, 2019 6 AM - 6 PM (SLT)
• June 7, 2019 6 AM - 3 PM (SLT)

See you inworld!

Please note that applications for Exhibitors and Performers have been extended through the end of the month and the applications for Merchants for the shopping event are open until June 1st.

• Exhibitor Application  - Applications close on May 31st, 2019  (Exhibitor Policies)

• Performer Application  - Applications close on May 31st, 2019 ( Performer Policies)

• Merchant Application - Applications close on June 1st, 2019

One of the most popular categories in the Second Life Destination Guide is our listing of Photogenic Spots that highlight beautiful spaces to snap and share with friends. Among our current favorites is Missing Melody, a delightful seaside retreat that features a quaint main square lined with colorful houses and plenty of places to relax.

This picture-perfect spot has already caught the attention of the Second Life community with a flattering post from VIRTUALITY including a three-minute fly-through video and an active Flickr group.

This week’s Destinations video takes a quick peek at Missing Melody - but we encourage you to login and check it out yourself.  

Missing Melody

Waking up to a new dawn. Smiling at the awaking sun humming a nostalgic tune. Missing Melody is a collaboration of best friends coming together to create something new.

Visit in Second Life

Second Life is home to virtual replicas of many worldly locations. Many have been lovingly recreated in great details from images and visits to those locations in the world.

The Hotel Chelsea - which serves as an icon for art, the Bohemian movement, and holds an arguably unmatched history of New York City culture - is one of those locations that has a virtual twin within Second Life. They are celebrating their 10th Anniversary in Second Life - starting this Friday at 1 pm - with live music and events.

In 2009, Resident Mykal Skall  decided to build a small, virtual interpretation of the Hotel Chelsea on the Grid. Through his friendship with the keeper of the Chelsea Blog, Mykal was able to eventually gain access to the original main floor blueprint, and in 2011, Virtual Chelsea went under some serious renovation - resulting in a more realistic and accurate replica of the original hotel.

The Virtual Chelsea Hotel is open for visitors - be sure to stop by during their 10th anniversary celebration, or check in later, if you’re unable to make the event!

The Virtual Chelsea Hotel

The Virtual Chelsea Hotel is the official virtual reproduction of NYC's Real Chelsea Hotel. We feature live music, DJ-ed events and 25 art galleries. It's also a place where you can rent rooms and apartments and live out all your Chelsea Bohemian dreams. New residents are always welcome in this friendly community. Come visit the authentic Chelsea Hotel!

Visit in Second Life

Be sure to share your pics on the Second Life Official Flickr group.

Pictured: Phox and Sonya

Communities play such a huge part in our lives when it comes to finding our support systems, friends, social outlets, and even love. They help match us with people who have similar interests, spiritual and/or life philosophies, and in some cases fandoms and special interests.

In the case of Sonya and Phox - two once-strangers who came into Second Life looking for different things - it was a community of role-players that led them to one another. Phox was looking for an active online furry community and found pictures of Second Life furries that led him to sign up, and Sonya was looking to try something new and outside of her comfort zone.

There first “in person” meeting included a boat ride with her parents! You can watch a virtual re-enactment of that trip in the video.

“To anyone looking for love in Second Life … when you’re not looking for it that’s when it’s gonna find you,” says Sonya. “It’ll find you twice as hard.”

Sonya who now shares her life with her husband, Phox, and their adorable first born child.

“Don’t be afraid to meet people” adds Phox.

To learn more about Phox and Sonya’s  story, watch the latest episode of “Love Made in SL” below.

Part of this episode were filmed at The Arabesque Cafe - a Region that was built in tribute to the Kingdom of Sand role-playing Region that Phox and Sonya first met. You can visit it below.

The Arabesque Cafe

The Arabesque Cafe features belly dancers, harem girls, music and conversation. A meeting place for lost Kingdom of Sand members. Come to dance and enjoy the nostalgia in a free-form role play setting.

Visit in Second Life

Did you miss an episode of “Love Made in SL”? Catch up on the entire series on our YouTube channel.

Credits:
Video production: Draxtor Despres
Love made in SL logo: Marianne McCann

Happy Thursday!

We’re happy to announce that another long-requested feature is now a reality! With the latest update deployed to the Marketplace, we’ve added the ability to nominate up to five additional residents as ‘store managers’.

All store managers will have basic access to a number of abilities to assist the store owners in administration of their store:

• Edit store details

• Edit product details

• List an unlisted item

• View store and product details

Store owners will also be able to provide the following additional permissions to their designated store managers, to be set individually. Store managers will be unable to perform any of these functions without the specific permission being granted:

• Unlist an item

• Redeliver items (including changing automatic redelivery status)

• Add/remove revenue distributions

• Add/remove listing enhancements

• Change prices

Regardless of individual permissions, we’re always looking out for the interests of our store owners:

• All actions taken by a store manager are logged and review-able by store owners

• Additionally, no store manager will be able to:

  • Archive products

  • Add/remove other managers

To learn more about how store managers work along with the various abilities and permissions available, please consult our knowledge base article detailing the feature.

Please take a look and let us know what you think. We look forward to your comments and bug reports in Jira

Travelling to new places and experiencing a variety of cultures is something many of us dream of doing at some point in our lives. There may be reasons we have not been able to go to all the places we desire, and there’s still that pesky space-time continuum that prevents us from hopping backwards or forwards to explore not just different places, but past eras and events that have shaped our collective histories.

Luckily, for us - there are ways to come close to travelling not only through distance, but time, within Second Life. For example, Village of Ahiru is a picturesque Edo-period Japanese village , where you can wander and enjoy seasonal landscapes, waterways, forests, and much more. Here, you will find others who enjoy immersing themselves in the scenic and historically rich Region. Stop by and share a meal with someone new, or bring your friend. There is so much to experience, you may need to make more than a single trip.

Village of Ahiru has been covered by blogger Inara Pey, as well as KULTIVATE Magazine, but you should be sure to explore it in person yourself, at the location below.

Village of Ahiru

Visit Ahiru and enjoy a picturesque Edo-period Japanese village. Walk along winding paths that cut through seasonal changing landscapes. Peacefully row through the waterways that traverse the entire SIM. You can explore vibrant forests, relax in the hot springs with friends, or take it easy in the lush gardens for a lovely midday picnic. Housing is also offered within this little village.

Visit in Second Life

Be sure to share your pics on the Second Life Official Flickr group.

Last week, we blogged about the opening of Fantasy Faire - and many of you have probably already dropped by to see what is available from the hundreds of Merchants who have items that will go to the benefit of the American Cancer Society.

Did you also know that there’s a big Literary Festival that is part of the faire this year - with story-telling, dramatic performances, workshops, and author meet and greets? Find out more about all the events happening on the Fantasy Faire website.  

This year’s Literary Festival guest of honor is Elizabeth Bear. Elizabeth will be appearing in Second Life for an interview on Tuesday April 23rd , which appropriately is on #WorldBookDay. There’s also a separate reading on Friday April 26. Both events will take place from 2-3pm SLT (Pacific). Here is a snippet taken from her author bio on her website:

[Elizabeth Bear] is the Hugo, Sturgeon, Locus, and Campbell Award winning author of dozens of novels; over a hundred short stories; and a number of essays, nonfiction, and opinion pieces for markets as diverse as Popular Mechanics and The Washington Post.

She lives in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts with her spouse, writer Scott Lynch.

The full schedule for the Literary Festival can be seen on the Fantasy Faire website, but if you want to attend the Elizabeth Bear events, follow the Destination Guide link below.

Elizabeth Bear Event at Fantasy Faire

Sci-fi and fantasy author Elizabeth Bear is the Litfest guest of honor at this year's Fantasy Faire and will appear at two special inworld events. On Tuesday, April 23 at 2:00 p.m. (Pacific), she will arrive at the Fantasy Faire in her avatar form for an interview. On Friday, April 26 at 2 p.m. (Pacific), she will again visit the Faire to read from her works. Learn more at fantasyfairesl.wordpress.com/elizabeth-bear-at-litfest.

Visit in Second Life

The Fairelands are open and this year’s Fantasy Faire is steaming full of Merchants who are donating a portion of their proceeds to the American Cancer Society. Check the vendors to see which items are exclusive for the benefit of the American Cancer Society.

As is clear in the name, this event is all about Fantasy - from dragons and fairies, to any other majestic creature you can imagine, this is the place to fulfill your flair for the fantastical. Costumes, masks, and other delightful wares line the booths in each gorgeously built and decorated portal.

You can shop, quest, dance, and frolic across each Region between now and May 5th. 2019

This week’s Destination video takes a glimpse inside the Fairlands.

Don your fantasy looks and head on over. Don’t forget that your purchases will benefit the American Cancer Society.

Fantasy Faire 2019

Celebrating its 11th year, Fantasy Faire 2019 is the largest gathering of fantasy designers, enthusiasts, role-players and performers in the virtual world. Held April 18-May 5, treat yourself to shopping, dance and theater performances, DJ parties, auctions, questing, a Literary Festival, fantasy art, events and role-playing as thousands of Second Life residents and creators bring their own visions together to support the American Cancer Society’s vision of a world without cancer. More at fantasyfairesl.wordpress.com.

Visit in Second Life

Spring is in full swing, and that means the birds are singing, the bees are buzzing, and those Glytches are … well glytching!

We've scattered special eggs around various Regions throughout Second Life. Your task is to find the eggs, follow the clues inside, and if you make it to the end of the hunt, you’ll earn an exclusive prize!

This Spring hunt is only here for a week - so be sure to get hunting by April 24th, 2019 - or this prize will be lost forever.

We will get you started with the first clue here:
Start your hunt in Hartyshire, where the Glytches have been poaching the shiniest yolks! 

Spring Egg Hunt

We've got a special Springtime gift for you - but you're going to have to find it! We've scattered eggs around various regions in Second Life. Find the eggs, follow the clues, and earn eggs-clusive rewards. Event ends April 24. Here is your first clue: The Glytches have been poaching the shiniest yolks!

Visit in Second Life

A massive fire recently swept through the world-famous Notre Dame Cathedral and many community members are showing their support by paying tribute to this magnificent and historically-rich building by visiting a detailed 3D inworld replica in Second Life.

As recently blogged about in New World Notes, Second Life Residents have been spontaneously appearing at the virtual version of Notre Dame to connect with others who share their sorrow over the damage done by the April 15 fire.

As the world looks forward to restoring and repairing this beautiful landmark, this week’s Destinations video celebrates the Notre Dame Cathedral in its full past and future glory. If you would like to donate to helping restore Notre Dame, you can donate directly through the Friends of Notre Dame page.

Visit Notre Dame in Second Life

Notre Dame Cathedral

Join the Second Life community in our support for the famous Notre Dame cathedral, which has recently been devastated by a fire in Paris. Visit this 3D replica of the popular attraction.

Visit in Second Life

Thanks to Draxtor Despres for this special video production.

UPDATE: Currently, new Linden Homes are sold out - but more are on the way. Please stay tuned to our blog and to this forum thread for updates. 

New Linden Homes Have Arrived!

One of the many benefits of becoming a Premium Second Life member is access to an automatic waiver of the monthly land fees for a Linden Home or 1024m² tier allotment for use towards a parcel on the Mainland. A pretty incredible perk, but it was time to make it even perkier.

Let’s be honest - those Linden Homes from 2010 were long overdue for some updates and improvements. It was clear a fresh coat of paint and some new landscaping were just not going to make the amount of curb appeal we were shooting for. In fact, it was time to return to the drawing board and start a better-built Linden Home experience, from the ground up - literally.

The first of several planned Linden Home updates launches today - with the introduction of New Linden Homes - exclusive to Premium members. Your new home may be in the mountains, along the shore, or in a rolling landscape of low hills and river valleys, but you’ll also be part of a large community experience, with navigable waterways, a network of roads, and community areas to socialize and have fun.    

There are two new themed styles in this release - Traditional and Houseboats - and some are twice as big as previous Linden Home offerings.

Traditional

Our new Traditional suburban homes are available in several single or two-story options and are located within a convenient distance from a communal park area where you can join your friends for picnics, sports, or family activities.

Houseboats

For something a bit less conventional, try one of the many new Houseboat theme options with large rooms and a high ceiling and skylights. There’s also a deck area outside for you to relax or entertain friends and family under the blue skies and over the even bluer waters!  

Existing Premium Member with Linden Homes

Out with the old, and in with the new! If you’re already a Premium Member, you qualify to switch to a new Linden Home in one of our new styles including Traditional Homes and Houseboats. Old Linden Homes will be phased out over time, but there’s no rush. If you’re not ready to make the big move, that’s okay.  Many of these new home options are twice the size of previous offerings, and even more new Linden Homes are coming later this year. Once you’ve seen the improvements and additions,  you’re going to want to claim your new place to call home as soon as possible.

How to Get Started

Moving into a new place may seem a bit overwhelming, but we’ve got you covered. Everything you need to know about the new Linden Homes is available on the New Linden Homes wiki. There is a walk-through on how to claim your new Home if you’re new or returning to Premium Membership, or if you’re an existing Premium member and ready to make the switch. All the details on what makes these new homes better than ever, and the how-tos to get you into your new place are all there.

Are you ready for your new life on the Bellisseria continent? Now may be the perfect time to upgrade to Premium!  Your new home is waiting for you!

This week, we shine a spotlight on the many virtual horse communities in Second Life. With the recent introduction of Water Horse’s Animesh rideable horse, there is renewed interest in equestrian experiences across the Grid.

For example, Inara Pey recently blogged with an in-depth look at the new Water Horse animesh release (featured in the latest video above) while other virtual popular horse offerings include Amaretto Breedables and Awesome Breed Creations.

Pictured: Templeton Cove Riding & Hiking Trails

Horse lovers need places to saddle up and ride...and there’s no shortage of destinations that cater to horse enthusiasts including Templeton Cove Riding & Hiking Trails, AKK Horse Ranch and Champion Horse Racing. Check out the Pets & Animals category in the Destination Guide for even more options.

Do you have a favorite equestrian-themed spot that we’ve missed? Share your recommendations with the community in our Favorite Destinations forum and we’ll review for consideration to add to the Destination Guide.  

With the announcement of a new “Bill and Ted” movie in the works, you might find yourself wondering what it would be like to travel back in time, and have all of history at your fingertips. Where would you go? What time-frame would you want to see up close? If one of your choices happens to be New York in the 1920s  - the 1940s, then you’re in luck! You don’t have to cram into a phone booth to get there!

Put on your very best era-appropriate outfit (think Guys and Dolls, The Great Gatsby, The Aviator, or Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries) and step through the Time Portal and into New York in the 1920 - 1940s.

This week’s Destination video takes a jazzy glimpse into the steaming streets and humming hustle of New York during one of it’s most interesting times. Sip a daring drink the speakeasy, cut some rug at the Cocoanut Grove, and experience life outside our current timeline, as you travel back to the noir time of an era gone by!

Ready to romp? Grab your dame or Joe, and visit history today.

1920s - 1940s New York in Time Portal

Step through the Time Portal in our mysterious laboratory and visit New York during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. The time machine has a virus, so the time zones have been a bit mixed up. Go shopping and find items from the golden age of style and when yer all dolled up, have a meal at Delmonico's, catch a show, get a drink at the speakeasy and dance the night away at the Cocoanut Grove and rent a room at the Ambassador hotel!

Visit in Second Life

Pictured: Morgue and Brendan

Was it Madonna who once sang that music makes the people come together? Well, in the case of Morgue and Brendan, it was music and Second Life that crossed their paths! Having met in Second Life in spring 2011, the two quickly made plans to bring their offline lives together by the following summer. (Watch their airport “meet-cute” recreated in Second Life in the video!)

Morgue was involved with the poetry scene, and Brendan was playing live music across the Grid - so it was fate that the two should come together. Their initial spark began when a poem that Morgue had written caught the attention of Brendan’s music manager, who knew these two could make beautiful music together.

“[Second Life] is a way for us to do our art,” says Morgue.

“[It] has never been a pretend thing,” adds Brendan.

To learn more about Morgue and Brendan’s story, watch the latest episode of “Love Made in SL” below.

Did you miss an episode of “Love Made in SL”? Catch up on the entire series on our YouTube channel.

Credits:
Video production: Draxtor Despres
Love made in SL logo: Marianne McCann

As we blogged earlier this month (Announcing “SL16B” - Second Life’s Sweet Sixteen!) SL16B is coming this summer - and part of the celebration means we will be opening applications for Volunteers, Exhibitors and Performers. This year, we are excited to return to being more involved in the organization of all the events. In addition to the official Music Fests, costume parties,  and Shopping events, of the last few years, we’re also returning to our roots and participating more in the development and planning of the main SLB celebration.

While we already  launched applications for Merchants interested in the inworld Shopping Event, here is your first opportunity to apply as an Exhibitor and/or Performer.

Festivities kick off with a special event opening on June 20. Then, many entertainers will take the stage to perform a variety of sets from June 23-29.

Please review the policies before submitting your application.

APPLICATIONS & POLICIES

• Exhibitor Application - Applications close on May 15th, 2019  (Exhibitor Policies)
• Performer Application - Applications close on May 15th, 2019 ( Performer Policies)
• Volunteer Applications - Applications close on May 15th, 2019
• Merchant Application - Applications close on June 1st, 2019

We’re excited to celebrate this milestone with our community this summer - and can’t wait to share even more details on event specifics and activities - but be sure to get your application in ASAP!