Today, WE DEFEATED SMAUG!!!
It’s true.
The day began in the Odyssey Theatre, where a mystical shadow puppet show told the background story to The Hobbit… then all the dorms went out to create their respective kingdoms in Middle Earth. Dorms were each given different creatures – Elves, Hobbits, Giants, Dwarves, Skin Changers, Giant Animals, Giant Spiders, Citizens of Laketown, Great Eagles, Wargs, Trolls and more. Each clan had to create a home base for themselves… and a challenge for other creatures to complete. Then, campers rotated around the various challenges, winning for themselves parts of a map of Middle Earth, and a puzzle in runes. Then, far down at the Burrows, we were finally permitted to enter Laketown, and deciphered the coded messages. A banquet in Laketown followed, then all campers had the opportunity to sneak through the Lonely Mountain and attempt to steal Smaug’s treasure. Smoke machines, coloured lights and eerie dragon sounds provided the necessary 
atmosphere. Finally, Bard the Bowman shot down Smaug from the sky, and we all cheered. But… the Dwarves ran off with all the treasure! There followed a ‘battle’ on the back field to decide which clan should get the gold, and wild and energetic fun was had by all, with campers charging across the fields in a 6-way version of ‘Capture the Flag’.
Finally, the weary adventurers trooped back to Hobbiton, only to discover they had been gone so long that their belongings were being auctioned off. They gave up all their gold and gained back their homes in return. Then, in an unusual ending to a festival, a letter was received from the camp directors announcing that as the campers had done such a great job winning back their own ‘hobbit’ homes by suspending disbelief and diving into a magical world, the camp would be giving homes to others, in their name. A donation was made on behalf of all the campers, to SOS Children’s Charities, that provides homes and families for children who would otherwise have none.
Camp is so peaceful tonight. Everyone is sleeping deeply (and probably dreaming magical dreams) after a wildly creative hobbit festival. Fantasy festivals seem to be something we excel at here at Centauri Arts Camp… something to do with having so many creative minds gathered together, I suspect.
More photos at https://www.centauriartscamp.com/media/Galleries/2014/index.htm
Tomorrow, everyone gets a sleep-in… then we’re into final preparations for the end of session shows!
Julie Hartley
Director
Centauri Summer Arts Camp