Just before the city was fully constructed in the year 4422 EB, an onslaught of storms assaulted the normally calm The Merid Sea. Threatening the completion of the frame and destroying what work had been done so far the workers hastily added more support to the structure from recovered ships that not yet been inspected. Alas the storms became too much and just as it was time to raise the coral reef and attach it to the frame, work had to stop.
Abruptly on the night of the Asgarath new moon, the seas calmed, and a window of opportunity opened to finish the project. Most of those set to help raise the reef had gone home though. As legend has it, flocks of halcyon birds dove into the sea by the thousands and grabbed the kelpropes with their mouths. They pulled the reef up towards the surface portion of the city where the remaining worked went about forming the bonds that tethered the two halves together. Completing this task took three days, and on the night of the final night when the Selûne moon was full, the storms returned. Luckily the city of The Drift was complete.
Though much was added to the city after these days, this level of completion marked when the city first opened to merchants and diplomats. Each year the annual celebration of the Halcyon Days are celebrated and revelry is in honor of both the city's founding but also the miracles of the calm days and halcyon that made it possible.
The festival runs from the night of Rones 11th until the night of 14th. During this time parties spring up through out the city and music is played day and night. Other aspects of the festival are firework displays each night and a city creates decorations and kites shaped like halcyon to honor the birds of legend.
In 2100 EC, parties grew to uncontrollable levels and riots broke out. This had the unfortunate result of setting fire to part of the city. The Sea Baron of the time banned future celebrations. That is until 2367 EC when the self appointed "Queen of the Drift" managed to convince the Tidal Council that the festivals should resume. This act earned her significant support among the people of The Drift and helped her obtain a seat on the Tidal Council itself despite not having an official title. Since then the Halcyon Days celebrate her as much as they do the original holiday. At least in the regions who view with as much fear or respect as they would any other leader.