Festival crowds over the weekend were astounding. Some 5000 people packed themselves into the Diggi Palace grounds. Here are some before and after pictures of the main venue to give a flavor of the crowds.
After the Sunday, crush, Monday morning seemed relatively empty. Mike and I wondered aloud why they ran the Festival for a 5th day. Then the school kids started arriving.
One of the wonderful things about this Festival is the diversity of people who attend. People of all ages, ethnicity, status and nationality were gathered together in the same space to listen, converse and learn. I could strike up a conversation with anyone and immediately become engaged in an authentic exchange about any topic. How often does that happen in our rushed and self-absorbed modern world? I was especially moved by the hordes of young people who came, full of curiosity and and ideas. If we can duplicate this in Boulder, what a gift that would be!
