Those of you who have been following Quoth the Raven for awhile know that this time of year the blog is typically filled with announcements of our exciting winter events. Those announcements have been noticeably missing this year. It’s not that we haven’t been thinking about events, we have. In fact, we have several brand new events that we are extremely excited to share with you. We have held off on scheduling any of these events to date as we have been waiting to see how the coronavirus pandemic develops as the seasons turn and the weather gets colder.

Unlike our summer and autumn events, which include outdoor activities and lend themselves nicely to socially distanced dining experiences, our winter events tend to center around social gatherings in the dining areas. These gatherings, which make our beer tasting weekends and Christmas celebrations such enjoyable experiences, are unfortunately precisely the types of activities that healthcare professionals are warning against.

As we have done throughout the course of this pandemic, we are choosing to err on the side of caution, to continue ensuring the safety of our guests and staff. For this reason we have decided not to hold our traditional winter events this year.

To be very clear, we remain open for regular business, and intend to throughout the winter season. We believe a “staycation” in a remote castle suite or cottage is a great way to help offset the cabin fever we’ve all been dealing with over the last few months. Given how busy we have been, it seems that you agree! We will continue to operate safely, following the COVID-19 guidelines outlined by the appropriate healthcare professionals. For more details of our operating procedures, please see our COVID-19 Precautions list.

Although we will not be holding our Christmas Past, Present and Future event, we will be open throughout the Christmas season (with the exception of December 24^th and 25^th). The castle will be decked out in its Christmas best, and a few special treats and activities will be available. And although there will not be a New Year’s Murder to solve this year, we will be open New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day with all the traditional  trappings of the New Year.

Of special note, this announcement means that we will not be hosting the ninth annual Hoop & Stick Con, which would have been scheduled over the weekend of February 26^th & 27^th. Though it pains us to postpone all of our winter events, this one hits especially hard as it means this will be the first year in nearly a decade that we would not be fundraising for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. We frankly find that unacceptable, and will be taking steps to ensure that we raise at least some funds, even during the event blackout. As a first step in that direction, we will continue the tradition of donating 50% of all room rentals during what would have been the convention weekend. We are looking into additional fundraising options as well, stay tuned for more information.

We apologize to all of you who have been patiently awaiting the announcement of your favorite event, although I am confident you will understand our reasoning in making this decision. In lieu of an event weekend, we hope you decide to come visit for a couple of days of socially distanced rest and relaxation. We look forward to seeing you soon, and to resuming our normal event operations in 2021!

Jim Reed

Jim Reed is a lifelong gamer who started with the original red box Dungeons & Dragons. After spending 20 years in the corporate world, he decided it was high time that work be fun and struck out on his own. Jim now owns and operates Ravenwood Castle, and spends his days ensuring his guests have as much fun as he does.