What is your favorite festival? Is there one you participated in or attended that was simply amazing or even changed your life? For me, it was the World Festival of Sacred Music- LA. The next one is in fall 2011. What's yours?
Definitely the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hawaii! I watched this every year growing up, and it is amazing to see all the hula halaus from across all the islands compete in traditional and modern hula. I think it's happening soon again this year. Here is the website: http://www.merriemonarchfestival.org/
For me it would be National Folk Festivals in Johnstown, PA & Lowell, Mass. I would go kicking and screaming pissed that my parents were making me miss a Little League game to go to a festival! But, once I got there it was eye opening (e.g. throat singing, blues greats) and these festivals and my annual attendance shaped me in many ways.......In fact, I probably wouldn't be working on this site if not for these festivals.