Last weekend, (22-24 August 2008) saw the fantastic Reading Festival take place (dodgy timeline). Emerging from the National Jazz Festival in 1961, it mutated into the National Jazz, Blues and Rock Festival festival in the 70s, and on into the eclectic festival it is today. My personal faves were 1989 and 1992, but the best moment was seeing Meatloaf bottled off stage in 1988! Due to the combined force of the BBC and the interwebs, most of this year's performances - many complete - are available online for your delictation...
posted on Aug 27, 2008 - View this thread

Voting is open for the Portable Film Festival. A curated collection of the year's best short films, music videos, animation, and features, from high-quality amateur films to hard-to-find professional releases. The international festival is delivered completely online: all entries are available for download, with awards decided by user ratings.
posted on Aug 11, 2008 - View this thread

Our wonderful nature is a hilarious 5-minute animation about the mating rituals of the water shrew. The action starts at around 1:30. Other gems found at the bitfilm 08 Digital Film Festival include "The post-it note prison".
posted on Jun 27, 2008 - View this thread

The Bonnaroo lineup announcement is always a big deal, but this morning's was especially exciting because according to the Associated Press and any number of news outlets, the reunited Led Zeppelin would be headlining. Trouble is, it's not true. It's all-girl cover-band Lez Zeppelin.
posted on Feb 6, 2008 - View this thread

Wanna sell your TV show idea? There is no shortage of advice out there, or contests. Here are the winning pilots picked from this year's New York TV Festival, sort of a Sundance for TV newbies.
posted on Oct 24, 2007 - View this thread

Do you know how to Dandiya?
posted on Oct 21, 2007 - View this thread

Ganapati Bappa Moraya!
posted on Sep 16, 2007 - View this thread

Janmashtami: A celebration of Lord Krishna’s Birth.
posted on Sep 8, 2007 - View this thread

Welcome to the official home of the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival.
Sponsored by, you guessed it, Shell. [via]
posted on Aug 30, 2007 - View this thread

Youscope is the result of hooking up an oscilloscope to a soundcard. [youtube] 3rd place winner in Short Films at Assembly 2007.
posted on Aug 30, 2007 - View this thread

Bonalu (or Bonam in short, which means Meal in Telegu, the official language of Andhra Pradesh), is the festival celebrated in honour of the Goddess Mahankali, in the month of July/August, by women who carry a series of pots on their heads, filled with offerings of rice and milk, led by the Potharaju (image).
posted on Jul 30, 2007 - View this thread

LOOK UP! (or down, if you happen to be reading from one of these. The annual "Amazing Roswell UFO Festival" happens this weekend, and it looks like people - er, visitors - are coming from all over! Who knew back in 1947 that this little incident would be the start of an entire sub-culture? Well, for me the fascination started with two of the the greatest UFO movies ever. For my grandparents, it started with one of the greatest radio broadcasts ever. But hey, there's no need to rely on fiction when we have one of the most insanely great UFO videos of all time provided by none other than the Mexican Government! Seen anything strange in the sky yourself lately? If so, you'd better report it here.
posted on Jun 26, 2007 - View this thread

The Crying Game. The Japanese proverb Naku ko wa sodatsu says that "A crying child thrives." During the annual Konaki Sumo ("Crying Sumo") festival held at certain temples in Japan, babies are held facing each other and encouraged to cry by priests and sumo wrestlers. The one who bawls first, or loudest, is the winner, thought to be blessed by the gods with good health.
posted on Apr 30, 2007 - View this thread

"I ain’t a pretty boy no more" Roger Ebert is determined to attend his Overlooked Film Festival tomorrow.

We spend too much time hiding illness. There is an assumption that I must always look the same. I hope to look better than I look now. But I'm not going to miss my festival.

[via]
posted on Apr 24, 2007 - View this thread

It is spring here in India, and Ugadi (the Spring Festival) is being celebrated with much pomp and ceremony throughout the southern part of the country. In Maharashtra, the same festival is referred to as Gudi Padwa.
posted on Mar 19, 2007 - View this thread

Sasquatch!, the indie music festival, returns to The Gorge with an impressive line-up headlined by Bjork and the Beastie Boys. As usual, KEXP has a veritable cornucopia of live performances from the artists. If you're wondering what might be in store, check out select songs from The Arcade Fire, M.I.A., Citizen Cope, Neko Case, The Thermals, Viva Voce, Interpol, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Spoon, Ozomatli, Bad Brains, The Dandy Warhols, Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter, Common Market, Smoosh, and Minus The Bear. Bring sunscreen and an umbrella on your short drive from Seattle to George, Washington
posted on Feb 25, 2007 - View this thread

Cry Baby, I want you to go Tell Mama.
YouTubeFilter post. Trust me, it's worth it!
posted on Nov 12, 2006 - View this thread

Fisher Poets You've heard of cowboy poetry, sure, but how about the verse of modern-day fishermen and women? Taking the Cowboy Poetry Gathering as their model, fisher poets have plunged into the celebration of occupational culture with their own annual festival in Astoria, Oregon. Get a glimpse into this difficult, dangerous, and unpredictable way of making a living through the work of Erin Frestad, Geno Leech, Toby Sullivan, and others. Listen to the sounds of the gathering on this piece from PRI's Here & Now, too.
posted on Nov 3, 2006 - View this thread

The Festival of Lights, Good vs. Evil Diwali is the Hindu Festival of Lights that falls each year in October or November. This year, Diwali is on the 21st of October 2006. Legends about Diwali are many, from the story of Prince Prahlad, immortal in his faith in the universe to the story of Ram and Sita returning from exile to Ayodhya. My favourite is not a story so much as a snippet of what is actually said to happen tonight, not the mythology behind it. Lakshmi walks tonight, she is the Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity, and lamps [diya or deep] are lit and placed at hearths and entrances so as to help her find her way. Accompanying her is the elephant headed one, Ganesh, the remover of obstacles and giver of knowledge. Just welcome them into your home.
posted on Oct 21, 2006 - View this thread

Drugs at music festivals are nothing new. Sometimes this results in comically bad journalism and sometimes the results are not so funny. At the Wakarusa Music Festival this past year police used new, creepy tools pursue drug dealers on the Festival grounds in an attempt to seperate the drugs from the music.
posted on Sep 16, 2006 - View this thread

The Edinburgh festival is the largest arts festival in the world. Some 1,867 shows will be perfomed during the month of August, ranging from well known names and faces that many of us Brits will know from the telly, through to puppet shows and people reading the phone book live on stage. Hundreds of other lesser-known shows are on in the smaller and weirder venues. Some performers are blogging, and of course there are other bloggers telling us what's what.
posted on Aug 8, 2006 - View this thread

I Like Pandas (flash), by Spümcø animator Jessica Borutski, from the Nicktoons Animation Festival (flash again), which is currently accepting submissions. Music by Plone. Not that Plone.
posted on May 6, 2006 - View this thread

Looking for somewhere to go and see how humanity celebrates being alive? Or maybe you're just interested in nettle eating, a parade of the unmarried women, wife carrying championships, sand sculpture or kinetic sculpture. If you're gonna make an omlette, you have to break some eggs.
posted on Mar 18, 2006 - View this thread

Today is Jingzhe (驚蟄). Legend has it that on the day when insects and hibernating animals are awakening and the demon white tiger starts to seek its prey, the petty person would also start to offend others by making rude remarks. Therefore it is advisable to honor the white tiger with sacrifices and beat the petty person on this day.
From CXB: In the days of yore, the petty person you hated so much was beaten up for some good time by the professional beaters (about HK$50 per fix) with Chinese cloth shoes vigorously. But what a sad fact for your nemesis! These beaters these days use high heels, which in my opinion is ten times deadlier than cloth shoes.
posted on Mar 6, 2006 - View this thread

If you can't be there in person, at least you can read the blogs of those lucky attendees. Share your preferred Sundance news sources here and/or by del.icio.us tag. If you are attending for the first time, you'll want to read the Virgin's Guide. Some think "Sundance shows too many "indie" films that are loaded with well-established talent in front of and behind the camera and ample budgets. It's not the place to go for new opportunities much anymore". (comment on page) See also: This year's titles sorted for your convenience.
posted on Jan 18, 2006 - View this thread

I wonder if Odetta will sing backup on "Debaser". The Pixies will do their first acoustic set ever this summer, and what more appropriate place than where Dylan plugged in and changed the rules? That's right, Newport, baby!
posted on Jun 16, 2005 - View this thread

Hundreds of twins in group photos from a Twin Festival. Twins Days in Twinsburg, Ohio claims to be the world's largest annual gathering of twins. Sarah Small's Photographs Twin Festivals
posted on May 26, 2005 - View this thread

Lollapalooza returns to Chicago this summer with a line up that I'm actually a little excited about. Presented by Parkways Foundation it looks like the damage that might be done to Grant Park by the two day festival might just be covered by the proceeds.
posted on Apr 22, 2005 - View this thread

Ladies and Gentlemen, Beatle Bob!
With today being the last day of the Austin City Limits Music Festival, I thought it might be a good time to shine the spotlight on rock and roll gadfly "Beatle" Bob Matonis, who, as per his habit, made the scene like sex machine, shaking his vintage-clad booty back stage (and on stage) at numerous sets this weekend. Though he's actually from St. Louis, Beatle Bob makes it to gigs all across the country, and seems particularly fond of South by Southwest, where his presence can pretty much guarantee you picked the right showcase to attend. Over the years, I've seen Beatle Bob on literally dozens of occasions. Have you had the chance to catch this oddball rock mascot in your town?
posted on Sep 19, 2004 - View this thread

Watermelon carving - a gallery of intricate work and eclectic subjects. In Thailand, there is a tradition of elaborately carving fruit and vegetables, especially when preparing foods for royalty or as part of festivals such as Loi Krathong. This gallery offers some pictorial instructions; books, tools, and sample instructions are also available from the Temple of Thai.
posted on Sep 9, 2004 - View this thread

Pictures from the First Weblog Festival in Tehran, Iran, in which the deputy of the Ministery of Information Technology wished that every Iranian could have a weblog. While western media has not covered it yet, there are many reports about it in Persian news agencies.
posted on Jun 11, 2004 - View this thread

Listening to the Universe Weep:
The Stark Beauty of the Buttercup Festival.
posted on May 31, 2004 - View this thread

blue jam : all three series. ~17 hours of music mixed with disturbing comedy and downright weirdness.
posted on Apr 10, 2004 - View this thread

Yamadashi, the first part of the Onbashira Matsuri, a septennial shinto festival in the Nagano Prefecture, involves hauling a bunch of 200 year old fir trees out of the forest and then perilously riding them down the hillside (locals only, all you extreme sports nuts) in preparation for May's Satobiki. O-hanami this is not.
posted on Apr 9, 2004 - View this thread

Three Rivers Film Festival - fine film comes to the Iron City.
posted on Oct 31, 2003 - View this thread

Coming to a phone near you. The creative entries you'll see here fit not only the small screen size, but the on-the-go nature of mobile use. Entries typically run up to 3 minutes. All are sized and purposed to work in small handheld formats. Flash, live action, 3D animation, its all here at the World's Smallest Film Festival.
posted on Oct 27, 2003 - View this thread

Independent film festivals often see a wide group of styles brought together and none more eclectic than the films being broadcast through the Iconscious Film Festival - "A diverse audio/visual festival featuring online events and live screenings of work from a selection of artists and film makers. A lucid optical experience brought electronically to unsuspecting net users and clubgoers worldwide." Pick of the bunch is probably Ben Milner's No Soul Journey whilst Vector(Remix) is strangely compelling. Real Player required.
posted on Oct 18, 2003 - View this thread

The World Body Painting Festival will be held in Austria at the end of the month. The event site has some colorful photo galleries from prior years. Are these festivals the modern incarnation of an ancient art and tradition? Is there a gold standard? Some works show great artistry while others, not so much. This photo has always been one of my favorite examples. NSFW - nakedness abounds!
posted on Jul 18, 2003 - View this thread

The French Flash Festival website provides an introduction to many francophone flash treats such as a visit to the surreal Rolitoland, the fun sound experiments at Audiogame, the endearing Plok! or the strange goings on at Incorect. Lots more to explore on the festival site (click on 'preselections' for the shortlist)
posted on Jul 2, 2003 - View this thread

Jumping over babies - on June 22 in Burgos, Spain, parents will dress newborn babies in finery and lay them in the street so that a man dressed as the devil can leap over them. It's an age-old ritual. Many cultures have colorful ceremonial rites of passage marked by festivals - have you come upon any in your travels?
posted on Jun 21, 2003 - View this thread

Eunuchs' Day in the Sun: Eunuchs from all over India gathered in a small village, Koovagam, this week to re-enact a story from the Hindu scriptures in which they pretend to marry a warrior-god. Pictures from the festival.
posted on Apr 30, 2003 - View this thread

Best. Festival. Ever. The Field Day Festival is taking place on June 7th and 8th in Riverhead, NY and the lineup is amazing. Yesterday, there was an image of the band lineup, but it has been removed. There will be an official announcement on Monday. In the meantime, here is a partial list of bands to whet your appetite: Radiohead, Belle & Sebastian, Spiritualized, Beth Orton, The Streets, Sleater-Kinney, N.E.R.D., Beastie Boys, The Strokes, Sigur Ros, Blur, Flaming Lips, Interpol, The Rapture and Tortoise.
posted on Apr 9, 2003 - View this thread

Best. Festival. Ever? The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, CA is back this April 26th and 27th with a ridiculous array of talent...but the return of Manchester, TN's Bonnaroo Festival on June 13th, 14th and 15th could give Coachella a run for its money. [links via Pitchfork]
posted on Mar 5, 2003 - View this thread

Say goodbye to winter and welcome spring with a Russian-style Mardis Gras celebration of Maslenitsa-Pancake Day. Maslenitsa is an ancient pagan weeklong Slavic holiday held before the beginning of the Christian season of Lent. Pancakes, the traditional food eaten during this time, are round and hot, representing the sun. "Fat is the key word for Maslenitsa," said Valentina Bakhtina. It is a sort of Mardi Gras without the costumes and with a lot of butter. The central thing is to drink, be merry, and eat - pancakes and more pancakes.
posted on Mar 4, 2003 - View this thread

Naked man festivals - if you're a fan of unique and colorful folk festivals, you may want to plan a trip to Japan. Naked man festivals are a fairly common occurrence. There's Hadaka Matsuri in January, Houne Matsuri in March and Minato Matsuri in August. Probably lots of others. Guys will need to dress in the fundoshi, traditional garb for the occasion. There are a few styles, one of which can be a little tricky. Women are generally on the sidelines, and their attire is colorful yet somewhat less revealing. Probably not safe for work, despite being steeped in tradition!
posted on Nov 10, 2002 - View this thread

Happy Diwali (or Deepavali) to all Hindu, Indian, Bengali, Punjabi & Sikh metafilter members & readers. Diwali, a 5-day festival, is as important to Hindus and Indians as Christmas is to Christians. The festival is also known as Festival of Lights and its rich history and traditions are rooted in the Hindu epic Ramayana (written in the Sanskrit language) (picture gallery of Ramayana). But there are several legends of how Diwali originated. Although this important festival is celebrated differently in different parts of India and other countries, the significance of Diwali is the unifying belief and celebration of the victory of good / righteousness / light / knowledge over evil / vice/ darkness / ignorance, which is symbolized by the lighting of oil lamps, candles and scented incense during this festival. Enjoy!
posted on Nov 3, 2002 - View this thread

Butter sculptures can be rather elaborate, and are a folk art favorite at country fairs in the U.S. And on the other side of the globe in the ancient Himalayas, butter sculpting is an ancient symbolic tradition among Tibetan Buddhists, and is also an integral part of annual festivals and celebrations.
But in other dairy art, cheese sculptures haven't achieved quite the same level of dignity.
thanks to Wordforge for the Jim Victor link.
posted on Oct 23, 2002 - View this thread

Edible books. The International Edible Book Festival is held yearly on April 1 in cities around the world. (Yes, I know, April 1, but this is apparently real.) Mmmm, I could just eat up a juicy novel right about now, like Great Eggspectations!
Link swiped from The Cellar's Image of the Day
posted on Oct 13, 2002 - View this thread

Glastonbury opened its gates today for the insanely keen; the music starts on Friday. A small corner of Somerset becomes transformed into a heaving, crime ridden small city, but without the sanitation. Everywhere you turn a corporate sponsor will be in your face. A ludicrously expensive fence has been erected to keep the riff raff out. I cant help but feel the thing has lost its identity over the years. Michael Eavis has said, this will be the last one if there are gatecrashers, really, who would care? Late Junction on Radio 3 commented that another festival starts this weekend too. It seems much more in tune with the spirit of the original Glastonbury and is free. Ironically it takes place in the middle of a large city, but I bet the vibe will be much more chilled.
posted on Jun 26, 2002 - View this thread

The Bonnaroo Music Festival was held in Manchester, Tennessee this weekend. Did any MeFis go? What did you think?
This may have been mentioned in a post a long time ago.
posted on Jun 26, 2002 - View this thread