1

You can visit Tanta but not during the Moulid. Moulids aren't a safe place to be for Egyptians and for tourists. Especially if you are a female you might experience sexual harassment. And there are some other nasty stuff going on in any Moulid.
Hope you have a good stay in Egypt

2

I've been to the moulid in Tanta twice, and to dozens of other moulids elsewhere in Egypt. I'd say the opposite - if you visit Tanta, make sure it's during the moulid. Not much else to see there.

Reactions to tourists vary, but people are generally friendly and accommodating if you're dressed and act respectfully. Women could experience sexual harassment and you need to watch your wallet, as anywhere there's 3 million people crammed into a few square blocks. Since the revolution I've heard there have been problems with groups of armed Salafis, who want to shut down moulids. Could be an issue, but otherwise I never had any problems at moulids. This one is known more for its sheer size, and is relatively pious, though beyond the Sufi tents there's a crazy makeshift theme park with freak shows, bumper cars and magic.

3

When is the Tanta moulid this year?

4

Thanks to NileFever and Dina for your help, I'm still trying to find the exact date all I can find is that its at the end of October.
Sometimes it's a good idea to email a local hotel, I will keep trying and when I have successes I will put the date here.

Thanks

5

Honestly emailing is not so effective in this part of the world, phone calls tend to work much better.

6

Most Islamic moulids are based on the lunar calendar, but Tanta's Moulid of Sayed El-Badawi and other celebrations in the Delta mark the end of the yearly cotton harvest. The exact date of the week-long festival is set in September each year, and usually starts around the 3rd week of October.

7

NileFever I'm glad you had a good experience in Egypt and moulids. I'm Egyptian and I lived in El-saida Zieneb neighborhood where there is an annual moulid takes place in front of my house, and I know exactly what happens there, in most cases it doesn't matter if a female dressed and acted respectfully. People who harass women care only of harassing a body and some men get harassed too. And there a chance of losing your wallet...etc. My high school which was in the same neighborhood used to give us Moulid's days off because the administration didn't want to be responsible for anything bad could happen to one of the students.

Anyway I don't want to scare Rebel Egyptian people are very friendly and kind but people in the Moulid aren't the best quality of Egyptians. My advice if you really want to go, check couchsurfing website and find a local with a good references and ask him/her to go with you.

8

#6 - thanks.

#7- it was pretty crazy around El-Sayyida Zeinab last night all right!

9

This place NOT SAFE