The Neopian Festivities Guide

     Check out some of the lesser known, but still super fun - Neopian Events below!

          Month of Eating

          Coastal Line Celebration (Mystery Island, Krawk Island)

          With less than a week separating their nationally-recognized days, three species of Neopets - Krawks, Lutaris, and Kougras - celebrate in a 3-day festival starting on the 18th.

          Day One starts on Krawk Island. Warf Wharf is decked in decorations, the pirates put on their finest (least tattered) clothing, and Kougras and Lutaris visit, combining festive friendship with all sorts of dice games. The Food Club has special dishes during these three days, a fusion cuisine from all three Islands, for the competitors to scarf down indiscriminately.

          Day Two moves to Mystery Island, where it’s much more active – volleyball, surfing, hikes on Techo Mountain – and the popular tin of olives roll. Elite athletes prepare for the triathlon that afternoon. Twenty competitors, ten for each Island, swim, run, and bike.

     Whoever circuits the Island the fastest, their Island will host the third day.

          (The Lutari, while happy to be invited and bring their native fruits to share, have yet to host on their native land - they participate just for fun.)

          Pay only what you spend and a small fee to join the triathlon.

          Visit If: You want ten rounds of Food Club in ten minutes, to test your endurance, or to wheedle your way onto Lutari Island (No one has been successful – Good luck!)

          Month of Hunting

          The Topiary Parade (Haunted Woods)

          On a random day in the Month of Hunting, topiaries walk through the town.

           Some are made of leaves as green as spring, some with the dying foliage of fall, others with branches bare, but all twisted into the shape of a recognizable pet. They’re silent, appearing from deep within the woods.

          Be very quiet when they walk through the area. Citizens step out of their homes (or tombs) to watch them go by. Make any noise, and the nearest one will stop and face you. For minutes at a time. “It's real creepy to have leaves in the shape of a Uni … turn to you,” Tirro Icehelm, said, shuddering. In his haste to photograph one, "I just know it was glaring at me!" And if it can scare a Skeith….

          The foliage end up in the graveyard each year, where they find their places via some innate sense and go still.

          Citizens have a silent group dinner, and conversations resume the next day in whisper. Volume grows each day afterward – on the third day, most citizens are talking at normal volume without ill effects.

          Visit If: You want to work on non-verbal communication. If it can scare a Grarrl like Tirro, it may scare young ones.

          Month of Relaxing

          Altadorian Food Festival (Altador)

          When the fruit is ripe at summer’s beginning, the farmers and chefs of Altador are ready to share the bounty.

     The Altadorian Food Festival lasts a full week, usually the second week of the month of Relaxing. Enthusiasts arrive a week early. If you know your way around, you’ll see some of the most prolific restaurateurs haggle for fish at the bay, and produce from Old Follies Farm, the most famous farm in Altador.

          It’s also the most ordinary citizens see of Florin the Farmer, one of the city’s Protectors. From defending crops from ravenous Petpets to mediating disputes over what additions should exist in a feta log, he never seems to sleep!

          When the preparations are finished, there’s a full week of food carts lining nearly every road in Altador. Locals laugh that they do no home cooking the entire week!

           Several visitors try to eat at every stall – none have succeeded. Some vendors set up scavenger hunts; If you visit every stall run by a member of, say, the Juicer’s Guild, for example, you get a prize – think a blessing, a Minitheus, or a VIP pass to the Altador Cup opening ceremony.

          To conclude the event, King Altador makes a speech, giving thanks to everyone involved in the growing, harvesting, and preparing food for the city all year round, followed by a fireworks display over the bay!

     There’s no tickets; You’re only charged for what you eat.

          Visit If: You enjoy strolls in beautiful environments while eating some of the best food in Neopia.

          Month of Swimming

          River Races (Shenkuu)

          The River Races are a 3 day event where the thrillseekers gather to race miles of dangerous, twisty rapids. While only the best complete surfing down what’s known as the Great Kazeriu, a long river that flows down Mount Selerium and through Shenkuu’s capitol, there are shorter rivers that are – slightly – less perilous.

          Last year, Pros Cassile and Bowe made an appearance and presented the trophy to one Kebby Danson.

          Some visitors will hike up the mountain ranges and set up camp before the action kicks off, to avoid trekking up each day. Be a considerate camper; Mind your fires, pick up your trash, and do not feed the Dandans.

          Competitor signups are open; Spectators can arrive at any time during the event. Special viewing pavilions can be rented for a fee.

          Visit If: You want a front row seat to the (second) fiercest sport in Neopia.

          Month of Hiding

          Usukicon, The Annual Usuki Doll Convention (Neopia Central)

          The date of the 4-day event changes yearly, but most citizens of Neopia Central realize the con is upon them when they see various species wearing Usuki earbands, carrying large, bright bags, and dressed in her typical pink and green. Matching streamers are dangled from the Money Tree. The Food Shop enters the celebration with special smoothies that leave glitter on your tongue!

          You can trade dolls and accessories in the seller’s alley. The company behind Usuki will bring out the designers behind your favorite dolls, and have individual panels to show behind the scenes art and unreleased concepts – There’s bound to be other surprises, too.

          The biggest celebration is in Hall U of the Neopian Convention Center - a fifty-five minute presentation from the company behind Usuki. Rumors are swirling - there may be another spinoff of something fans have been hoping for (A Ruki Usuki, charmingly nicknamed Rusuki) – We’ll have to wait and see!

          Resident Usuki expert Edawa Cing is happy to help first-time visitors – Look for the Tonu with the mane dyed Usuki pink!

          VIP and day passes are on sale now. Don’t forget your ticket to win a limited edition Siyana Usuki!

          Visit If: You don’t have a glitter allergy and can’t get enough of collecting!

          Month of Gathering

     The Draik Dance (Meridell)

          While Draiks were discovered in the Month of Relaxing, the Month of Gathering is when they celebrate their history in Meridell with the Draik Dance.

          They reenact historical events that have been hidden from greater Neopia for hundreds of years. “This year’s performance will be the story of Erdimus Regina,” Gissona Suntult, a Draik who is often claws-on in logistics for the event, said. “the first Draik to rule Meridell and her treacherous sister Eryala. Competition is very fierce for prominent roles!"

          With acrobatics and fancy wingwork, it’s a marvel to behold as you’re perched in a copse of trees, surrounding a clearing at dusk, watching history take flight.

          When the performance is complete, large bonfires are lit in forest clearings (carefully watched by Illusen and her magic) for roasting food. It’s considered good luck if a Draik Egg hatches during the burning!

          All citizens are welcome to attend to watch Draiks – and only Draiks – perform.

          Visit If: You love history and performing arts.

          Month of Collecting

     The Kreludor Astronomy Convention (Kreludor)

          With their new freedom, grundos invited all of Neopia along to engage in their favorite hobby - stargazing. And what better place to gaze than on the surface of the moon!

          The convention is mostly reserved for scientists and hobby astronomers, and there’s limited living resources on the surface, so visitor spots are at a premium.

          There is a period of adjustment – ‘‘The base - ‘The bubble’, we call it - It can be claustrophobic.” Said Dr. Cilwyn Pawlartis. “Arriving a day or two beforehand is advised.”

      Once you adjust, the excursions to the surface where you’ll picnic, stargaze, and explore in a lack of gravity (In a custom spacesuit you get to keep!) make it a one of a kind experience.

          As for food, the Kreludor Cafe has a “Neopians-Palatable” menu, but it can run out quickly. Unless you’re used to the unique culinary offerings, BYOB - “Bring Your Own Burgers!”

          (There are rumors of a certain Doctor still active on Kreludor – Dr. Pawlartis shook his head –”Nothing suggests this is more than rumor.”, but the Gelert looked a touch nervous.).

          Visit If: You can’t get close enough to the stars and have neopoints to burn.

          Month of Storing

          Slorg Day (Neopia Central)

          Most Neopians want to skip to Neopia’s Birthday in the Month of Storing - but don’t forget our humble Petpet pal, the Slorg, on the third day!

          There are two big events; The Annual Slorg Show and The Slorg Race.

          The Show (Petpet Protection League approved!) is where owners show off the shiny eyes and happy grins of their precious Slorgs before taking them through an obstacle course. This is a days-long event, as they are not known for their speed.

          When they finish, it’s time to dress up as a Slorg and squirm to your heart’s content in the Slorg Race! Overseen by Ginfer, the Aisha Slorgrider, they only have one rule - you must leave a trail of slime as you ooze through Neopia Central.

          The event is free for all – Benry, the Rich Slorg, bankrolls the entire event. How generous of him!

          Visit If: You want to collect Slorg slime.

          Not all were included – such as the Literary Festival of Brightvale, the Maractite Chef cooking competition, and the Arts Rock Festival in Tyrannia. You could theoretically enjoy a holiday every weekend if you traveled – but we hope this has given you a good starting place to step off the beaten path.

          See you in Neopia!