The Archaeology Festival (or Conference) held every February is one of my favorite gatherings. The dynamics are totally different from that of an academic meeting, where the presentations tend to be narrowly focused and couched in highly technical terms. The Archaeology Conference is truly eclectic, covering everything from paleoanthropology and human evolution to Scottish heritage and, of course, the Romans. This is a meeting for the readers of Current Archaeology and Current World Archaeology, and, of course, anyone else interested—anyone interested in the past in the broadest possible sense. This year, the meeting was held in the modern conference facilities below the Great Hall in London's British Museum, a marvelous setting for a gathering of people interested in the past. During the two days, I enjoyed presentations on tree-rings and climate change, the evolution of the human brain, steam and water-powered cotton mills in Manchester, and Pompeii—to mention just a few. This is one of the few gatherings where professional and amateur archaeologists mingle freely and exchange ideas. And the evening drinks party after the British Archaeology Awards was a rollicking success, where conversation and networking went hand-in-hand. And where else would the awards ceremony be presided over by a detachment of Roman legionaries, in full uniform? A lovely occasion, and one that hopefully will become an annual event.