#13 worldSILLYweek in LAUNCESTON

Founded in Launceston Tasmania in 2004 worldSILLYweek is the quintessential DIY festival and a festive time totally dedicated to the sanctioning of social transgression – benign social transgression where nobody is hurt – the relief of social tensions, unorganised foolishness, communal clowning about and, most importantly, a little bit of serious urine collection – all in the aid of charity.

In 2018 it will be worldSILLYweek on TAMAR and key events will be published here as we are notified about them.

worldSILLYweek is now an international festival celebrated in the middle of the calendar year and that encompasses "'the solstice". However other SILLYweek festivals at other times are possible and indeed appropriate. For example, there may be a time of year in a specific place when it would be appropriate to temporarily suspend all the social norms and niceties and turn conventions upside down just to allow a community "to blow off some steam" – and to do so without fear of reproach.

Let's call such a place "Zeon"! then SILLYweek in Zeon might be a town festival that happens say after the harvest of something, or around some auspicious day in the community, that lasts for 11 days so it can take in two weekends and has a particular day in the middle somewhere when everyone observes some obscure and/or silly social convention. worldSILLYweek is just such a time and one that can be celebrated all round the world in accord with the mid year solstice – Summer in the Northern hemisphere and winter in the Southern.

The motto for worldSILLYweek is "collect the crap and take the urine". Consistent with all that been said before, worldSILLYweek is envisaged as being a relatively unstructured'midyear festival':

• Where everything important happens at 11something – for example, the week runs over 11 days starting at 11: 11am on the Friday preceding the weekend before the Midyear Solstice and finishing at 11: 11am on the Monday that follows the solstice – when everyone has to stop being 'silly';

• That allows people to make fun of institutions, organisations, leaders, elders, and important people who are used to not only telling other people what to do, but also, how to do it – and when, and with gusto;

• Includes a dynamic mixture of social, cultural and sporting events with a silly twist and conceived in the spirit of silliness – often interrelated events that spin off each other;

• That allows, communities, community groups and individuals working alone, to operate within local communities and take the initiative to celebrate worldSILLYweek in various ways  – Silly Parties, Silly Balls, Silly Dancing, Silly Concerts, Silly Parades, Silly Tournaments, Silly Games, Exhibitions of Silliness, Silly Lectures, Silly Walking, Silly activities no matter what form it may take;

• Which is understood, and imagined, as a time of sanctioned subversion, a time when the inversion of hierarchies is tolerated and a time given over to parody and satire.\

• Where each day of worldSILLYweek has a designated colour to guide the silliness ; \

worldSILLYweek should be celebrated between 11:11 am silly Friday & 11:11 am silliestMonday. Action groups worldwide are dedicating their time to creating opportunities and marketing the ideas linked to worldSILLYweek rather than organising specific events.

Nonetheless, members of these groups are already working outside their groups on various projects and events. It is never too late to organise a event.

The 11 days of worldSILLYweek are totally dedicated to the sanctioning of benign social transgression, unorganised foolishness, communal clowning about and, most importantly, a little bit of serious 'mickey-taking' all in the aid of charity.