Labor Day Party

The Labor Day Party was an annual event on the Space City and Freedom City Blake's 7 mailing lists, commemorating the foundation of Space City. It was also referred to as the Space City/Freedom City Birthday Party.
From the 2008 FAQ on Hermit.org:
The parties were most active in the 1990s and early 2000s but at least one piece was published onlist every year until 2014. Kalypso recalls that for the early parties, the list owner originated the theme and often wrote an opening paragraph for others to continue. Subsequently themes were suggested and voted on by list members, as described in the FAQ, but for the later parties, there was often only a single suggested theme.Kalypso commenting in espresso-addict: Freedom City party (accessed 21 September 2015)
Longer works from the parties were often re-published in printzines. According to the editor, one of the purposes of Tales from Space City was a way to get a lot of themed stories from the annual Labor Day Party collected in one place.
==On Space City==
===1996===
The theme was 'Smut Hotel - the characters book in, security guards watch the CCTV footage in amazement.' Stories include:
* Comparisons by Dorinda, republished in Forbidden Star 2
===1997===
The theme was 'Dreams of Love - an alien invades the characters' dreams, demanding to know about love.' Many stories were collected together in the first Tales from Space City. Editor Helen Patrick commented: Given the smutty little minds to be found on Space City, you'd expect huge volumes of erotica. You'd be wrong <grin>. We had a wondrous variety of expressions of love, and the statistics compiled by one kind soul make interesting reading.Labor Day Party 1997, Tales from Space City 1: 92 According to Susan Cutter's stats, there were 24 gen stories, 14 het, 8 slash, 2 multiple/orgy & 4 other. The most common pairings were Avon/Servalan 5, Avon/Blake 4, Avon/Cally 3 & Avon/Anna 3. Avon was by far the most popular character, especially in slash, featuring in 21 pairings, followed by Blake (7), Tarrant (7), Servalan (6) & Cally (5); surprisingly, no stories featured Vila in a pairing. Unusual pairings included Dayna/topiary bear, Jenna/Chewbacca & Tarrant/Link.Susan Cutter. 'Dream Statistics' Tales from Space City 1: 123
* Dreams – starter piece by Susan Cutter
* Giving by Susan Moore
* Sunday's Dream by Susan Cutter
* Dream by Airan Wilkinson
* Dream by Vanessa Mullen
* Speaking to the Subconscious by Alicia Ann Fox
* 2 000 001 B.C.: A Blake Odyssey by Alison Page
* Jenna's Dream by Steve Rogerson
* Wet Dreams by Noah Sassenach
* Dream by Jenner
* Love and other Enigmas by Pat Fenech
* Tarial Dream by Alicia Ann Fox
* Dreams by Arachne
* Servalan's Dream by Steve Rogerson
* Addictions by Sandy Stein
* Del… by Alicia Ann Fox
* Afterdreams by Sandy Stein
* Why Should I Dream of You? by Deneb
* Dream by Carol K
* A Dream of Peace by Sandy Stein
* Everyone Needs Someone to Love by One Of Those Damn Lurkers
* A Dream by Susan Cutter
* Another Dream by Susan Cutter
* Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes by	Noah Teuchter
* Nightmare by Sandy Stein
===1998===
The theme was 'Hidden Facets - an old woman urges the characters to look into a mysterious mirror.' Susan Cutter explains how the theme was chosen: I've been mulling over some of the suggested themes – and I think that three of them (7 deadly sins, misused characters, missing scenes) could be combined rather neatly under the title of "Hidden Facets," with the question of whether the "facet" is a trait/activity that a character wants to keep hidden OR one that just was never properly showcased in the series OR those scenes that didn't make it to the screen (and past the censor? she murmurs hopefully) left up to the writer.Susan Cutter. 'Party Theme' Tales from Space City 2: 31 Many stories were collected together in Tales from Space City 2:	
* Hidden Facets by Susan Cutter
* Hidden Facet by Susan Cutter
* The Lesson by Lydia McMartyn
* Gan by Judith Proctor
* Irreversible by Catharine R
* Just a Quickie by Lydia McMartyn
* Mr President by Oliver Klosov
* I Was Corrupted by Space City!!! by Helen Patrick
* Korda Sings by Kassandra West
* Hidden Facets by Calle Dybedahl
* Hidden Facet by Christabel
* Secret by Steve Rogerson
* Hidden Facets by Paula Robinson
* Party Favour by Oliver Klosov
* Hidden Facets by Carolyn
* A Source of Innocent Merriment by Count Jockula
* Hidden Facets by Christabel
* Hidden Facets by Predatrix
* Hidden Facets 2 by Predatrix
* Hidden Facets 2 by Kate Hall
* Hidden Facets by Jenner
* Hidden Facet by Susan Cutter
* Hidden Facet by Susan Cutter
* Flight	by Catharine R
* Hidden Assets by Christabel
* Hidden Facets 1 by Kate Hall
* Desertion by Andrea
* Hidden Facets by Louise Rutter
==On Freedom City==
===1999===
The theme was 'Something New - for the first year on Freedom City.' Stories included:
* Everything New by Paula Robinson & Steve Rogerson; republished in Paula and Steve Go Down the Pub
===2000===
The theme was the 'Seven Deadly Virtues - any or all of them.' There was no themed edition of Tales from Space City, but some stories later appeared in other fanzines or online, including:
* 7 stories by Belatrix Carter in TTBA
* Courage? by Nickey Barnard in TTBA
* Se7en by Paula Robinson & Steve Rogerson in Paula and Steve Go Down to the Pub
* The Second by Morrigan in Trooper Orac's Fantastic Plastic Army
* seven deadly haikus by Una McCormack
* The Seven Deadly Virtuals by Penny Dreadful in Forbidden Star 3
* Some Questions Best Unanswered by Firerose in TTBA
* Virtuous Conversation by Kalypso
===2001===
The theme was 'Come As You Are'. Stories included:
* Soolin speaks by Calle Dybedahl
===2002===
The theme was 'On Board - scenes on a ship.' Stories include:
* Friend by Sally M
* Scheherazade by Calle Dybedahl
===2003===
The theme was 'It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time - but it never turned out as they expected!' Some of the stories were collected as the seventh issue of Tales from Space City:
* Empty by Nickey Barnard
* Mistaken Identities by Nicola Mody
* The Inkplot Thickens by Willa Shakespeare
* Limericks by Linda
* Rumour Control by Leia Fee
* You're the Top by Jen C
* Freedom City Follies by Willa Shakespeare
* Avon Needs Muslin by Willa Shakespeare
* Hostage by Matilda Jones
* Pressure Point by Matilda Jones
* Countdown by Matilda Jones
* Pyrrhus' Song by Matilda Jones
* Thoughts on the Fall of Empires by Dormouse
* Drabble by Sally Manton
* Stopping the Spread of Evil by Steve Rogerson
* Yes, it is Quiet in Here by Sally Manton
* Salt by Hafren
* Sonnet by Nova
===2004===
The themes were 'Shore Leave/Teleport Duty - a tie, and they seemed to tie in.' Some of the stories were published in Tales from Space City 9.
===2005===
Another tied vote resulted in the themes 'Minions/Minor Characters' & 'Room 101'.
===2006===
The theme was 'What If? - make one change to an episode & see what happens.'
===2007===
The theme was 'Clones, Androids and Robots.'
===2008===
The theme was 'Communications.'
===2009===
No theme was suggested.
===2010===
No theme was suggested.
===2011===
There were two themes, 'Windows' & 'Old Friends'.
===2012===
No theme was suggested.
===2013===
No formal theme, but a member suggested 'Orac has found and has been reading the Prism (tm) logs. Which characters, I wonder, have been visiting the most interesting websites and emailing or chatting to the most unexpected correspondents (not necessarily under their real identities...)'
===2014===
No theme was suggested.
==References==
Category:Blake's 7 Challenges
Category:1996 Challenges
Category:1990s Challenges
Category:2000s Challenges
Category:2010s Challenges