After Harry Potter, it was hard for me to imagine myself getting all worked up over another book series… until I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (read my review to find out why).
I was skimming through the special events listings of the Manila International Book Fair when something caught my eye: The Hunger Games Live Action Role Play (LARP), set on the last day of the book fair, sponsored by Scholastic, Inc., National Book Store in partnership with New Worlds Alliance.
Now I normally don’t go to the last day of the book fair because I’m all shopped out by the time Saturday rolls around, but I made sure to be there this year, even though I’d read Catching Fire well past midnight the night before, because I just couldn’t put it down, and ended up red-eyed with all the crying and desperate to fast forward to 2010 when the third book is set for release (Aieee!!!).
Anyway, I had originally planned to actually join the LARP, but I couldn’t find a guy partner so I decided to cover it for the article I’m writing instead. But that didn’t stop me from going there dressed as Katniss Everdeen (although I don’t have photos of that… haha! you just had to be there!). Cosplay is something I don’t regularly do, and I don’t generally feel the urge for, except for extreme fandom moments, i.e. the Harry Birthday party.
When I got to SMX, the LARP was about to start and I realized that if I had come earlier I could have joined, too, as they only had tributes for 8 districts, it wasn’t gender specific anymore (there was a team with two girls — I could have gotten Honey or Marie or Michelle to partner with me), and I think I was the only one (apart from the hosts) who was in costume. Rats!
Below is the LARP in photos. Sorry I didn’t get the names — if you’re in any of the photos, tag yourself in the comments if you want to be identified.
Each of tribute in the winning team took home a cool haul composed of: The Underland Chronicles (Books 1-5) by Suzanne Collins, A copy of Catching Fire, The Hunger Games Trilogy #2 (Hardcover) by Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire button pins, P3,000 Scholastic Gift Certificate (to be consumed during a pre-arranged Scholastic Warehouse Visit), NBS Gift Certificate worth P500, and a bag of books from National Book Store!
(Meanwhile last Friday I managed to scavenge book 3 of The Underland Chronicles at the NBS Glorietta bargain bin for P50! One down and four to go! Haha. But that’s okay. Like Katniss, I enjoy the hunt! :D)
The casualties, er, the non-winning teams did not go home empty-handed, as they took home The Hunger Games shirts, free 1-day entrance to MIBF, and free Laking National Card membership, plus a bag of books from National Book Store.
Woot! Even while watching, I had so much fun! It was an ingenious simulation of the Hunger Games challenges, and I think this can be easily adapted to a Hunger Games theme party (man that would be cool!) or the Flips Flipping Pages upcoming book discussion of the book in February (Peter!!! I can do this for you!)
In the meantime, if they’re doing a Quarter Quell next year, I’m definitely joining! :)
Thanks Blooey for all the write-ups. I thought I’m the no. 1 fan but I think I’ll relinquish the crown to you!
ay, ang saya-saya..sayang di ko naabutan ‘yan..hehe
buti na lang hindi yung mga kahiya-hiyang pictures ko yung nakuhanan mo. =)
@Ms. Roselle- I think I’m addicted… it’s like morphling! (hahaha!)
@Mauie- Hee hee, sayang, I didn’t know you were in Manila… Ang lapit ko lang kaya sa Harrison Plaza (haha, that’s a great place to buy books, btw!)
@Targrod- Sino ka dyan? :)
edit: google works wonders. alam ko na, haha… si Career tribute #1 :)
Yay! I’ll link to this, ha. :)
Also, we have a book review contest for The Hunger Games where you can win a signed copy of the book. If you can, please promote it to your readers as well. :) Thanks! http://bit.ly/q6LXE
@Meann- surely… OMG contest! Haha I think I’ll join this. Will blog about it as well!
p.s. Targrod (Jay-R) is one-half of the winning pair. :)
@Meann- Thanks. I googled him and figured as much!
This seemed so much fun, Blooey! Too bad I wasn’t able to attend. I was thinking about it while I was with my family for an event last Sunday.
Sayang! I was hoping to see you in full District 12 tribute gear!
Haha, Peter, sa book discussion I can dress up again! :)
We can do a LARP there too if you want, I can facilitate it now that I know how it works.
Wah, didn’t know about this. Love the shirts! :)
@Austenfan- I have the shirt too hehe! Slept in it last Saturday night hahaha
nice pics!
can i grab some?
thanks in advance =)
@Joan – Congrats! Yes, you may. Please link back if reposting online. Thanks :)
thanks you =)
i have added your site’s to my blog post already.
Many Thanks!!!
hello!!
i just saw this on the website of hunger games trilogy!
I attended the LARP..district 3.kmi po ung unang na-out.. Y.Y
hi gemmy :) thanks for dropping by
Hi Blooey! You might want to check out the National Book Store website — we recently launched an online essay contest of The Hunger Games and Catching Fire there!
Ok. Sorry for the late reply, I’ve been out of the country.
Hello!
You can watch the Hunger Games LARP video coverage here –
http://www.fandomcafe.com
Enjoy!
Hi Caffeine! Cool, thanks!!!