Come join us in the celebration of the Beautiful Feast of the Valley! Known in ancient days as heb nefer en inet, it was one of Egypt's grand festivals and gave people an opportunity to commune with their dead.

Egypt is well used to festive occasions. It could be said that those in the Black land know how to party with the best! One hears that on this occasion, Persea wine and beer will flow in the streets, that dates and figs and all manner of delectable fruits shall emerge like manna from the Duat with the rise of Re in the East. Offerings are being assembled. Indeed, it is hinted that the very gods are already busying themselves to ensure that the day is both secular and sacred. The resounding call of the ibis will echo throughout the land as divine mediator, Thoth, stylus in hand, records the tally of activities that have found favour with those cloistered within their golden sanctuaries.

Thoth's tally of events goes a little like this...

Starting the first day of Springfest (April 23rd), competition for Amun's Puzzle Scavenger Hunt will begin. Find all 36 pieces and you could be the Grand Marshal of Amun's procession from Luxor! Hints will be passed out starting the morning of April 28th.

Then don a garland of flowers and mingle with your neighbours as, following in the wash of the Userhet which carries the cult statues of Amun-Re, Mut and Khonshu across the Nile, you travel with the flotilla of boats to the West bank to make your offerings to the dead. Taking a modern slant on an old custom, be sure to stop by the Beautiful Feast of the Valley Offerings for the Dead thread - it awaits your offerings in a contest for the wildest and wackiest objects this side of the Nile. What would dearest granny want in the afterlife? Come now to top up her account to the afterlife!

What ancient festival is complete without a dose of trivia? AEgyptian Best and Brightest Trivia Contest promises to separate the bold from the faint of heart. Are you ancient and audacious enough to front up and cut it with the global best? Join the competition and see for yourself!

A per is a per...is a per? Come by and Name that Room. Can you decipher the hieroglyphs and name the rooms in an average Ancient Egyptian's house? 'Course you can...

Capping off our day, the Procession of Amun will be passing the Viewing Stands. Come swell the ranks of the rekhyet-folk gathered in the Viewing Stands to watch this yearly 'spiritual' event. It is whispered that behind the scenes Het-Hert, the Golden One, Lady of Inebriation, she whose legendary appetite for love, Horus and red beer goes before her, promises to spiritually and liberally 'lubricate' the occasion. Privately, one hopes that the attending patrons of Cairo's Pyramid Club will remember to bring the gin sloes but that's in the lap of the gods. In fact, free beer will be offered, sponsored by the Drunken Oracle of the Seven Hathors.

May the fortunes of your ba and ka wax lyrical until the end of days! Ankh, udja, seneb!

Newsflash
Thoth warns that may be minor modifications to the list of the day's activities. However, He assures Egypt's populace and her visitors that any changes to the festive schedule will be made known as soon as is practicable to alert those hoping to attend.

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