Do You Go to Festivals?
 

This is the time of year when festivals seem to show up everywhere - music festivals, food festivals, art festivals, appealing to just about every taste imaginable in some of the most interesting places around. I am always tempted by a least a few, given the descriptions, but then I remember the few I did go to. They always seems to feature several things in common - large, annoying crowds, lots of traffic, exhorbitant prices, and lack of basic creature comforts, especially for those of us beyond the days of sleeping on the ground.

I'm wondering if people have found any of these festivals really enjoyable - ones that minimize the negatives and maximize the positives. I haven't and would love to know of some.

Do You Go to Festivals?
 

There are all sorts of festivals ranging from Squid Fest to Garlic Fest and Fog Fest to Pumpkin fest that are all considered just a day trip (all of these happen to be in the bay area). I have found these to be fun in the past but obviously usually crowded.

I am not one to go to a three day music festival and sleep on the ground (even though my folks were apparently at Woodstock!)

That is the problem with all the festivals around here. All too crowded.

they do vary - classical music/opera festivals in europe for example

aspen food & wine (~5000 tickets?) is expensive single ticket, interesting thats not more common
naples wine festival (580 tickets) is super expensive single ticket, includes a dinner in private home

many festivals offer various levels of VIP packages to reduce level of discomfort

theyre usually held in oppressive heat of summer and full of obnoxious younger people.

the best festival ive been to is sasquatch festival in the gorge washington state... in beautiful locale, good weather of may, out in a beautiful secluded natural setting, and the year i was there the lineup was killer (pavement, national, lcd soundsystem, mgmt, mountain goats, etc)....

im over most festivals now. when i want, ill see a specific act

I arranged a trip in Germany so I could attend a festival in Trier with fireworks. It was really interesting, not only because I love fireworks, but also because it gave us a chance to see Germans all taking part in a group activity.

While we were in Venice on the same trip we also stumbled into the biggest festival/fireworks display of the year. I'm not sure what it was for, but we enjoyed it.

Rebelyell, sounds like >
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festa_del_Redentore
http://www.veneziaunica.it/en/conten...ore-feast-2014

Do You Go to Festivals?
 

Oh, and I completely forgot the one festival I refuse to miss every year: the fete de Geneve (festival in Geneva Switzerland) which happens to have one of the best fireworks displays in the world. It is one hour long on the Lac Leman synchronized with music. Really breathtaking.

Do You Go to Festivals?
 

Be sure and book your private table three years in advance or stand around on the Pont du Mont Blanc with the rest of the crowds.

I went to the first and only New York Tokyo Music Festival (in 2002). It was somewhere in Midtown on the Hudson, and had a rather empty couple of tents showcasing singers from the US and Japan.

If this was held again, I reckon it would attract significantly more attendees.

We try to attend the Dubai International Film Festival in December. We didn't make it there last year but started going when it was first introduced - we were living in Dubai at the time.

I go to village-based festivals and book my accommodation and travel up to a year before hand.

Then I relax and enjoy being at the centre of things.

Otherwise, forget it.

Do You Go to Festivals?
 

I look for craft beer festivals. Although those are getting crowded now too as craft beer is "in" now.

At some point, I would like to go back to Edinburgh for the festival in August. (instead of October when it was cold and rained every day.) Probably not going to happen anytime soon but nice to think about.

That is really the only major festival that I find of interest.

I inadvertantly went to a sea shanty festival a couple of years ago (turned up in town not knowing it was on). It was brilliant and i'd really like to go again. But in general i'm not a festival person - I don't like crowds or price gouging.