Goldfest has always been our favorite site-wide holiday, ever since the very first "gold launch" in October, 2002. The fact that we've made it to our fifth birthday means that there's a lot of action going on in every world. Scribes are racing around looking harassed, graphics designers are apt to bite if you ask for one more image, and contests, quizzes, and tours, abound. This is your quick Goldfest edition, to give you a taste of what's happening, when, and how! (and if you're into nostalgia, check out the posts of Goldfest, '02 and see how far we've come).

First, Cailedair Etana has, once again, volunteered to design a summary of all events on the main thread, which is also where all activities will be publicized and site-wide activities will take place. Please check this thread out throughout Goldfest, as activities "go live" with a link that will transport you around all VIII worlds. Here is where the main "Calendar of Events" will go live on opening day.

Second, here is the order of world events!

• Saturday 10/13 – Mesopotamia leads the way
• Sunday 10/14 Germania
• Monday 10/15 Hellas
• Tuesday 10/16 Americas
• Wednesday 10/17 Orient
• Thursday 10/18 Celtia
• Friday 10/19 Egypt
• Saturday 10/20 Rome
• Sunday 10/21 Site-wide celebrations; The Stone Story, and closing ceremonies!

Here's a cup of wine raised to all volunteers, scribes and cives, for this year's Goldfest. It always takes a ton of preparation, but it brings happy memories as well. Here's to V more for AncientWorlds!

On October 2, the month-long contest to pick the top three graphics designs to symbolize Goldfest '07 concluded, with some spectacular winners. The demis all had to count their ballots twice, but it was unanimous that QuintusCinna Cocceius' amazing designs of AW parades and AW cats won the first and second prizes, while Bacchus Isocrates' elegant "V" design won third. All three were added to the CafePress store and several goodies with these winning designs are available for us all to share now: T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, bags and more. So if you feel like shocking your local supermarket with an AW outfit, visit the AW Goldfest Shop!

This award paid no prizes, but was strictly for the honor of the competition, and everyone who submitted designs deserves a thank-you. May we then thank QC, Bacchus, Balbas Scriptor, Savio Inca, Kallistos Alexandros, Asenath Amenhotep, Bree Burgundian, Asherah Assurbanipal, Topiltzan Tupac, Titus Pullo, and Cailedair Etana, for their hard work!

A team of AW writers and artists have been working on a project for the final site-wide day of Goldfest: all we can say (without giving it away) is that one of the demis had better run for the hills, as her Goldfest adventures will be chilling! The Stone Story involves writers Maria Marius, Xtreemli Curius, Marcus Antonius Caesar, Apiladay ApilSin, Bridgette Cormac, Aikaterine Callias, Kazuo Minamoto, and Mirjam Nebet, researcher Savio Inca, and AW artists Laurels Curius, Seshat Taharqa, and Germaniae Flavius. It's top secret - stay tuned for The Stone Story!