Winterfest (Beauty and the Beast convention)

Convention
Name:	Winterfest
Dates:	1994-2001
Frequency:
Location:
Type:
Focus:	Beauty and the Beast (TV)
Organization:	Beauty and the Beast UK Chamber
Founder:
Founding Date:
URL:
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Winterfest is a series of Beauty and the Beast (TV) conventions held in the UK. It has a con zine called Winterfest.

It is a part of a similar fan gatherings, also called Winterfest.

Candlelight Creations is a vidder who makes Beauty and the Beast music videos for Winterfest.

The UK: 1997

March 8th at the Royal Hotel at Kettering

Kevin Waters of Beauty and the Beast UK Chamber gave the opening speech.

The UK: Con Reports: 1997

The hotel has an olde worlde look about it, especially with the many stained glass windows, which helps create an excellent atmosphere for our B&B convention.

[...]

The first hour or so was an ecstatic round of greeting friends. Sadly, [Marit R] and [Bernadette C], could not be with us. They were greatly missed. Another person who could not be with us, simply because the club could not after all afford to pay for her travel etc., was the lovely actress Caitlin O'Heaney, who played one of my favourite characters, Bridgit O'Doimell. Apparently she too was sad not to visit us and hoped that a chance would arise for her to attend at the last minute. Nevertheless about three dozen people were gathered together to simply have a good time.

On my arrival Alison presented me with my convention pack including a super Winterfest fanzine. There were many goodies to be bought on the dealers tables and my purse took a severe battering! The morning moved on with various videos being played, courtesy of Kevin, including footage of the previous year's Winterfest convention and a past i^erican Winterfest con. Soon ( thank goodness because I was ravenous since having breakfast so early!) it was time for lunch and the hotel served up a delicious buffet, followed by tea or coffee. After we had eaten it was time for the afternoon events and began with members entertaining us.

The first was a concert by [John P] and his friend [Adam D]. They sang to us accompanied by guitars played by themselves and a budding star in form of our own teenager, [Ian W]. They were each very entertaining and regaled us with many well known (and some unknown!) songs, including John's rendition of what has become our club's own anthem, written by John himself. Next [Sue H] signed beautifully accompanied by another lady, whose name I shamefully have forgotten.

Then it was time for the 1997 awards to be presented. I have tried to remember them all and I hope I am forgiven if I have left anyone out! The best front cover award was presented to [Stephen C] and best poem was won by [Nikki D]. [Marit R] won best short story, whilst [Allison W] and [Sheila G]had the award for best article. Each winner received a smart engraved plaque.

The auction came next and we had a lot of fun trying to outbid each other for a grand mixture of various items. I managed to purchase a nice t-shirt for my son, resisting the urge to buy too much because carting lots of stuff home on the train is so awkward. It had already been quite a task bringing a bulky patchwork quilt donated by my mum and a large satin unicorn that I had specially made for the auction. I was very pleased to see the decent amount that these items fetched; in fact the auction as a whole raised a tidy sum. Avid fanzine collectors bid high prices for all the ones offered and I wasn't able to afford even one of the ones I fancied. When some of the more risque zines were passed round for inspection it caused great hilarity amongst us and these fetched higher prices!

At 7pm I joined the others in the bar and we were each presented with a pretty Winterfest candle. Some people had dressed up in tunnel togs, including our very own Vincent. We trouped into the convention room, which had been miraculously turned into a dining room by the hotel staff. Then came my most favourite part - the candle ceremony. We all stood in a large circle wiA lights turned right down. Whilst a recording of the Winterfest speeches from our favourite show was played, our own Vincent and Catherine, played by [John P] and [Gill P], began the lighting of the candles. We carefully passed on our flames to our neighbours down the line until everyone's candle was lit. It was a beautiful sight and always makes me feel very emotional.

We took our places at the tables and placed our lighted candles in the holders provided. A very enjoyable three course dinner was served up and we tucked in. It was wonderful sharing a meal with my friends with gentle candlelight flickering over their faces. But I simply could not let my own candle bum right down, so I extinguished it so that I could take it home to add to my collection of Winterfest candles.

Then came an event not advertised in the programme. I asked Kevin for a microphone pretending that I had some entertainment to perform for everyone. What he did not know was that there had been secret goings on earlier and that he was in for a surprise! For many years Kevin has been the heart and soul of our conventions. People had thanked him in individual ways, but a number of us felt that he should be formally thanked from the members as a whole.

Robert, Nikki and I had secretly met earlier to plan final details and with a nod to them I began. I had previously written AN ODE TO KEVIN and in it I expressed our admiration and thanks for all he has done for the U.K. Chamber. I recited the poem and it was met with much laughter at the humorous parts, not least by Kevin himself. In fact when he realised what I was up to he made me stop and then start again once he had organised a camcorder to record it all to show his mates at work how much we appreciated him!

Robert presented Kevin with a crystal unicorn, to represent the heart of our conventions, just as the unicorn is the guardian of the heart. We had not forgotten the hard work and support of his wife, Sheila, and through my poem we thanked her too. Robert gave her a plaque of a dragon to accompany Kevin's unicorn. Both had been carefully hidden and carried in Nikki's capacious bag. We also gave Kevin and Sheila a 'thank you' card signed by all the members there at Winterfest.

A disco was followed and for the first time ever at a convention. Kevin could relax because his brother was to do the music for us. Many people got up to dance and enjoy themselves to varied music. When 'Hillibilly Rock' was played I got on the dance floor to demonstrate my American Linedancing techniques! I hasten to add that I am only a novice and my enthusiasm outweighs my skill! Ian did his usual task of selling raffle tickets and the raffle was held later in the evening. Many super prizes had been donated and the money raised was added to the auction money to become well over £300. This was put towards the MENCAP fund being collected by [Paul W], Alison's husband.

All good things come to an end and much too soon it was time for the closing ceremony. This was far more poignant than usual because this was to be U.K. Chamber's very last Winterfest convention. We once more stood together and sang the songs that have become so special to us, including the theme song, " The First Time 1 Loved Forever". Kevin played the video moments when Catherine was invited to join the circle and we all raised our enjoined arms in salute simultaneously with Father, Vincent and all the others on the screen. At first everyone seemed reluctant to break the circle, but gradually we began to drift away from the dance floor. Tears filled our eyes as I had found it all so moving and 1 was comforted by Sheila. John went to divest himself of his Vincent make up and then took up his guitar to entertain us with some of his gentle singing. Around midnight 1 was feeling pretty exhausted because 1 had been up some twenty hours! I was loath to take my leave, thus ending my wonderful day, but 1 simply had to retire by then. I bid my goodnights and goodbyes too, to those who were leaving that night.