For the fans of Sirius:

[Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., gypsycaine at y... wrote:
 
> Festival of Sirius, ancient Egypt

It's the heliacal rising of Sothis, which took place around Summer 
Solstice and conveniently co-incided with the beginning of the 
Nile flood in Pharaonic times, and therefore is sometimes called 
Egyptian New Year's Day and the Birthday Party of the Gods. One of my 
friends found in a book that nowsdays the heliacal rise of Sirius is 
August 1, so we used it on Lammas. However, July 23 is a very 
popular date for Egyptian New Year's Day, ESPECIALLY among 
people with a Discordian fondness for the number 23. When I lived in 
NYC, there was a WONDERFUL shop on W. 8th St named Star Magic, and 
once there was a sign posted there: SIRIUS SALE. 23% OFF on 5/23 
in honor of the Dog Days.