What Really Goes Down at the Festival of Bastet in Bubastis?

This past week was a fun one from the Kemetic perspective. We're in Regnal Year 32, IV Peret, with the Feast of Ra and the Eyes of Ra as well as the Great Festival of Bastet just wrapping up. We love the thought of a festival dedicated to cats, so it was certainly a fun time researching how the Ancient Egyptians celebrated. The Festival of Bastet in Bubastis is one of the most exciting and vibrant celebrations in ancient Egypt, dedicated to the goddess Bastet. Known for her association with the home, fertility, and domesticity, Bastet held a special place in the hearts of the Egyptian people. Each year, thousands of devotees and curious travelers flocked to the festival, creating a kaleidoscope of color, sound, and spirituality, all centered around the worship of this beloved feline goddess.

People traveled from far and wide, often by boat, to join the celebrations, transforming the city of Bubastis into a bustling hub filled with excitement and joy.

The first of the Festival Days is often referred to as the 'Day of Chewing Onions for Bastet'. Offerings of bread, beer, geese, fruits, flowers, incense, and wine were made to the cat Goddess at her temples. Party-goers would eat onions on this day, though the second day is more often referenced as the larger part of the festivities. According to Herodotus, the second day of the Festival of Bastet was marked with large boat processions down the Nile. These boats were filled to the brim with partygoers drinking, dancing and enjoying the atmosphere. These festivities also spilled over to the shores too, where other participants cheered and drank. Cats, Drinking, Feasting, and Partying over the course of two fun-filled days? Sign me up! Feel like part of the celebration as well! We have adorable Egyptian Cat God Keychains that showcase some of the most well-known Feline Gods and Goddesses in Ancient Egypt. Check them out at Raven's Moon! Bastet: Goddess of Domesticity, Harmony, Protection, and Pleasure Tefnut: Goddess of Rain, Dew, Moisture and the Sustaining of Life Maahes: God of War and Guardian of Sacred Places Pakhet: Goddess of Hunting, and Protection Against one's Enemies Sekhmet: Goddess of Power, Protection, Life, and Healing Mau-Ra: Feline Form of Ra, God of the Sun, Creation, Protection, Light and Life