Mohamed Hamaki and Lara Scandar lead musical talent at Luxor Avenue of Sphinxes ceremony

The star-studded parade featured Luxor's local dancers and costumes

Lara Scandar and Mohamed Hamaki sing on stage in Luxor.

The streets of Luxor closed on Thursday to make way for a huge celebration of the city's ancient heritage in the opening of the Avenue of Sphinxes.

For the two-hour event, thousands of musicians, dancers and actors took part in a procession between the Karnak and Luxor temples.

Organisers of the event saw an opportunity to show off Egyptian talent to the world, who were able to tune in through a live stream.

So which familiar and new Egyptian faces took part in the parade?

Mohamed Hamaki and Lara Scandar

The pair sang a song written especially for the occasion, featuring lyrics in Arabic, French and English.

Hamaki said on Twitter that he was "humbled and honoured" to pay his part in the two-hour spectacular.

"Forever proud of being Egyptian," the Agmal Youm singer wrote after the performance, during which be wandered around the ancient site in a black tuxedo.

Resplendent in a shimmering silver gown, Scandar sang in three languages, as both singers were surrounded by dancers dressed in white.

Haidy Moussa

Egyptian singer and actress Haidy Moussa sang a Hatshepsut chant as the procession made its way from Karnak Temple to the Luxor Temple.

She told Echo El Balad she was "proud beyond description" of being asked to take part.

Ezz El Ostool and Shad Ezz

The Amun Ra hymn was sung by Egyptian Ezz El Ostool. Shad Ezz sang another piece in the ancient Egyptian language.

Wael El Fashny

Towards the end of the ceremony, El Fashny performed folk song Luxor Baladna (Luxor is our Country), accompanied by dancers dressed in clothing typical of the area.

In a Facebook post after the event, he thanked the show's musical director and the Egyptian president.

"It is a great honour to have participated in this huge event under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and composed by Maestro Nader Abbasi," El Fashny wrote.