After months of designing, 3D printing, sewing, testing, and solving technical problems, the day of the big KEFUR meeting in Košice arrived.
Lumirainyx had previously appeared at two smaller KEFUR mini-meetings in a partial version, but this time it was the first major community event where it was presented in a near-final version.
And as it turned out, the weather prepared its own scenario.
🌧️ Weather: a test by fire... that is, by water
If there was one thing I didn't want for this event, it was rain.
However, that is exactly what happened.
It rained quite heavily before the event started and most surfaces were wet. Later, the weather improved, but the paths and lawns remained soaked.
Nevertheless, the event was attended by approximately 25 to 30 participants, which surprised me very pleasantly.
🐾 The hooves passed their first big test
My biggest concern was about digitigrade hooves.
During the transfers, they did not avoid wet surfaces and sometimes even puddles. After returning home, they looked significantly worse than in the morning, but something else was important:
✅ the foam inside remained dry
✅ glued joints held
✅ the structure was not deformed
✅ nothing peeled off or ripped
The only enemy left was dirt. The impregnation helped, but even the best one doesn't stand a chance against puddles.
🪽 Wings: the biggest loser of the day
Paradoxically, the biggest disappointment was the wings, which I spent the most time on.
In my haste before leaving the music pavilion, I incorrectly fastened one of the shoulder straps and a few feathers bent slightly during transport.
The result?
🪽 During the entire event, I didn't make a single movement with my wings.
Although the mechanics were mounted on the costume, I decided not to test it in front of a crowd of people.
But the most interesting thing was that almost no one noticed.
During the development of the project, I mainly addressed the mechanics, the louver system for storing feathers, and the technical details. However, most visitors were primarily interested in the overall appearance of the figure.
💡 The glowing horn remained off
Because of the weather, I decided not to activate any electronics.
The battery box remained disconnected and the luminous horn is postponing its premiere to a future event.
In wet weather, it was wiser not to risk anything.
⚡ Electronics can be repaired.
⚡ However, a short circuit during the event would be explained much worse.
📸 St. Elizabeth's Cathedral and first photoshoot
During the meeting, we also stopped by the Cathedral of St. Elizabeth, where several passersby wanted to take photos with the participants.
It was already clear that the public was interested in the costumes.
And that was just the beginning.
📱 Moving to Aupark and unexpected interest
After moving towards Aupark, something started happening that I didn't expect at all.
During the trip, I was stopped by a lot of people who wanted to take a photo.
It is estimated that there were around twenty of them.
Some asked directly, others just showed their mobile phones and indicated with a smile if they could.
Honestly, I didn't expect Lumirainyx to attract so much attention.
Autor fotografie: Rocky
🔗 The QR code served its purpose
One cosplayer wanted to scan a QR code leading to a project.
However, she did not have an internet connection at that moment.
Instead, she simply took a picture of the QR code so she could view the page later.
It may be a small thing, but I was very pleased with it. It means that some people are not only interested in the costume itself, but also in the story and technical side of the project.
🍔 Conclusion in Belly Button
After moving from Aupark, we finally arrived at Belly Button, where a large part of the program concluded.
For me, it was also a time for the first evaluation of the entire event.
📊 What did I take away from the event?
It worked:
✅ hooves survived the rain
✅ the foam stayed dry
✅ seams and glued joints held
✅ the costume lasted the entire event
✅ The QR code attracted visitors
✅ Lumirainyx received a lot of joint photos
Awaiting edits:
🔧 wing shoulder strap adjustment
🔧 repair of bent feathers after transportation
🔧 completion of opening mechanics
🔧 cleaning hooves after rain
🦄 Conclusion
Even though the weather wasn't ideal and not everything went according to plan, the big KEFUR served its purpose.
Lumirainyx successfully completed its first major community event, survived the rain, managed to move around the city, and showed that the project is ready for more adventures.
And next time, I hope, with moving wings. 🪽
— Lumirainyx, ChatGPT