Surprise, surprise...we're all festival hounds 'round here at Fest300. From writers to editors to photographers, we all feed on the energy of festival vibes throughout the year. With that, here's a take from some of our top contributors and staff from around the world, on their Favorite Festivals of 2015 and what made it such a special and memorable experience for them. See you next year!

Symbiosis Gathering - Oakdale, CA

Symbiosis was a magical and potent experience. Coming on the heels of Burning Man and the massive expanse of the desolate playa - Symbiosis offered a quenching musical oasis. With delectable (and healthy!) food vendors and water stations in place of alcohol vendors, this festival didn’t ask as much of you, but offered so much in return.

It opened with a water ceremony thanking the land and a fire started by hand. That’s the kind of festival it was: smaller, grassroots, but filled with passion. Stunningly beautiful art appeared every few feet throughout the totally walkable grounds. Center camp, made entirely of lashed together bamboo and billowy fabrics, offered pillows and shade to hear inspiring speakers an gorgeously crafted stages dotted the shoreline. You could catch the relentlessly incredible lineup while dancing in the dust or from a floating sculpture raft just offshore and hippie kids running about inspired a strong tribal community vibe. Symbiosis was a rare combination of top-notch refreshment for the mind, body, and soul in an intimate setting. This oft-yearly gem offered everything your heart could desire from a festival, all a short walk from your tent -- Jenna Sessions

BoomTown Fair - Winchester, England

Outside Lands Festival - San Francisco, California

Outside Lands Festival just keeps getting better and San Francisco's marquee destination festival is starting to give Coachella a run for their money as California's top music fest. Golden Gate Park is a gorgeous venue, and it feels like nothing short of a privilege to revel in its lush greenery for 3 days while listening to tunes from Kendrick Lamar and St. Vincent to D'Angelo, Billy Idol and Elton John. The food and drink options are reflective of SF's bustling culinary scene, there's a fusion cooking demo and music stage, secret pathways and shortcuts galore and it just feels like the ultimate adult playground. The best moment of the weekend for me, was Caribou's 6pm Twin Peaks Stage Sunday set. Three days in and nearly at the finish line of the fest, we let go of all our inhibitions to dance for an hour and make friends in the wackiest dance circle, as Caribou (whose music is nothing short of a gift from the heavens) sent us into life-affirming splendor. -- Adrian Spinelli

Secret Garden Party - Abbots Ripton, United Kingdom

Photo by: Danny North via Secret Garden Party

If a festival can hold its own, whatever the weather, then you know it’s a special one. I’ve had contrasting experiences of SGP’s coalescence with the elements over two consecutive summers; the first was blessed with the best sunshine of the year, while the second would have sent anyone with a mud phobia into the pits of despair. However, besides the obvious pitfalls of a mud-riddled festival site, there were so many positive parallels between both experiences, that I couldn’t fault Secret Garden Party. From the lighting used to make the trees look enchanted, to the legions of party people in fancy dress, to the bizarre immersive theatre, the dumbfounding fireworks and the endless adventures – it’s stupendously satisfying, giving your inner child all the nourishment it needs. It truly is a marvel, and a place I hope to spend many more sunny, or muddy, long weekends. -- Marcus Barnes

Desert Hearts - Los Coyotoes Reservation, California

The vibe and community Desert Hearts creates lasts much longer than the 72 hour house, techno and love festival; once it gets in, it's there for life. The DH crew meticulously maintains the vibe by curating the music to the time of the day. As the sun shines through the majestic trees as Los Coyotes, happy light-hearted house music bumps from Funktion One speakers and anyone is invited to dance on-top of them, making that one of my favorite places at the fest. The peeps at Desert Hearts have the most incredible style and makes the people watching top-notch. As the sun sets, more intense tech-house turns into dark —and often, driving — techno, winding me into a psychedelic meditation. When I’m parched, I head to Pile Palace for the legendary Pork-chata drink. The sun rises and I bliss out to melodic house or minimal techno or I head to camp for a little disco-nap. As I walk, I get lost in the incredible art surrounding the stage and wander down the road lined with beautiful and unique fashion vendors. The no renegade sound rule ensures I can hear the DJs set anywhere at the festival, so even as I slumber, I’m still a part of the beating heart. -- Tessla Venus Goodwin

Electric Daisy Carnival - Las Vegas, Nevada

What made Las Vegas's Electric Daisy Carnival my favorite festival of the year is Insomniac Events' meticulous attention to detail in production, integration of new theatrical elements, and overall artistic and creative direction. This year was my fifth time attending EDC Las Vegas (although my first was in Los Angeles before it moved to Sin City) and it gets better every year. EDCLV rolled out brand new jaw-dropping stages (kineticFIELD’s Crystal Village with waterfalls, geysers, and pyrotechnics really stood out), integrated performance art shows in between DJ sets, and brought new art installations straight from the Burning Man playa to the speedway. This year, EDC felt like more than just a music festival; it became a cultural and artistic experience. With many new elements, one thing that remained the same was the vibe. Everyone at the festival shared equal love for the community and it rung throughout from dusk to dawn. I had many special memories this year, and I'm looking forward to EDC's 20th anniversary in 2016. -- Chris Wei Hong

Melt! Festival - Gräfenhainichen, Germany

Looking back at the year of music festivals, Melt! was without a doubt a summer highlight. After a two-hour ride from Berlin, I was surprised by the spectacular location: An open air museum in a rock quarry, filled with massive industrial machines. As you moved around the 6 stages that were strategically spread out around spectacular giant cranes, we enjoyed unique sets from top artists in electronic music, with the right dose of indie and pop acts in between, making it a colorful musical weekend journey. 

During the day, we played in the lake and witnessed cotton candy sunsets to the tunes of Jamie XX and Bonobo while we explored interactive installations. As the night came upon us, the grounds transformed with a jaw-dropping light show and suddenly the once stilled machines came to life with fires shooting up the sky as Alt-J delivered an emotional performance. Finally, sunset at the Sleepless Floor was greeted with hypnotic sounds by Berlin's own Ellen Allien.

Melt! was an eco-conscious and incredibly organized experience, which made it smooth to navigate regardless of how many options we had and it never felt like too much. People make the party and this festival without a doubt, attracted some of the most wonderfully open-minded people from Germany and beyond. We were able to really connect and go back home with not just another FB friend, but friendships that stood the test of fleeting festival romances. -- Angela Del Sol

Lightning In A Bottle - Lake San Antonio, CA

Lightning In a Bottle redefined my expectations of what a transformational festival can be, more than any other gathering I have attended. I've been to LIB every year since 2013, and have no plans to break my streak, as LIB continues to build on an eclectic and progressive lineup, that offers a contrast of styles from tech house and future funk, to live acoustic and everything in between. Every year, I find not only a balance in seeing a wide variety of artists I love, but also plenty of opportunities to provide my ears with fresh and unexpected sounds. My mind and body stimulated with yoga and movement classes hosted by some of the words most influential yogis, along with keynote speakers, workshops, art installations, as well as healthy and organic food options that keep my body sustained throughout the weekend. I gotta hand it to the folks at the Do Lab, who are able to bring all of these elements together into one effervescent experience, that is such an amazing environment to learn, make new friends, and stimulate my mind and body. -- Cameron Crumpler

Shambhala Music Festival - Kootenay Mountains, British Columbia

From Aug. 7-10, 2015 at the Salmo River Ranch in the Kootenay Mountains near Nelson, BC was the 18th annual Shambhala Music Festival . When the festival's social media head/head cheerleader/all-around festival all-star/Shambhamom Britz Robins said, "everyone is a friend that you haven't met yet," it perfectly encapsulated what makes Shambhala amazing. This year's fest was sold out and the 500 acre venue featured sounds from headliners like Pretty Lights, Big Gigantic and Kygo, spread out over seven vibrant and inventive performance stages. When a festival is able to be independent and so successful , that they're able to sustain on-site hospitals, hotels and a next-level campsite, it's special. As festival culture on some levels trends more corporate, it's in Shambhala remaining steadfast in its less directly commercially influenced direction that makes it important. -- Marcus Dowling

Life Is Beautiful - Las Vegas, Nevada

No-one knows hospitality better than Las Vegas, and this two-day weekend festival treats each fan like a five star guest. Founded in 2013, Life is Beautiful spans across a 15-block radius of downtown Las Vegas, just half a mile from the infamous Vegas strip casinos.

Music is the main focus of Life is Beautiful and the fest provided world class performances from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Weezer, Kendrick Lamar, Death Cab for Cutie, Major Lazer, Duran Duran, and more. Similar to the Circuit Ground stage at EDC, the electronic tent was a beacon for EDM fans with a 120-foot wide structure providing a canvas for artists like Claude VonStroke, Porter Robinson and Robin Schulz.

Uniquely, Life is Beautiful featured convenient, raised platforms, with real grass for food and drink tents located at each stage. With a birds eye view of the various music stages, fans never miss an artist while waiting in line. The festival partnered with drink vendors to provide an army of backpack carrying drink dispensers to walk in and out of crowds to sell refreshments and further help avoid a mile long walk just to wait in a never ending drink line. Newly renovated indoor casino bars provided an escape from the desert heat, where fans could enjoy air conditioning, comfy seats, a roof top balcony and bar service (this was open to GA).

Taking a page from Burning Man, the festival unveiled an Art Motel located at a vacant Town Lodge, that featured immersive art displays for fans to walk in and out of. If the music, food and art wasn't enough, the festival also offered an enclosed theater that featured Ted X-type talks from guests like television personality and scientist, Bill Nye. Awesome.  -- David Sikorski

Wilderness Festival - Oxfordshire, England

I had high expectations Wilderness Festival  when I heard it had come from the same think-tank as the boutique Secret Garden Party festival and it totally delivered. On first exploration of the beautiful grounds in Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire, I found a river to swim in on one end, a five-star dining room on the other, boutique shopping and a flamboyant and friendly crowd throughout. My highlight was seeing Björk accompanied by a swarm of arial artists performing in an elaborate stage production. Other high caliber artists included Caravan Palace and George Clinton with Parliament Funkadelic and while I'm not normally one for the high-end festival experience, this festival was so friendly and relaxing that I'm starting to change my tune. Cheers to Wilderness team for providing one of my top 2015 festival experiences! -- Jenni Poi

Movement Electronic Music Festival - Detroit, Michigan

Detroit's 15-year old techno event celebrated just under a decade of promotion via the Paxahau group, with epic dance proceedings from May 23-25 in the city's iconic Hart Plaza. Skrillex joined Boys Noize for a set as their production tandem Dog Blood, while names like Maceo Plex, Griz, Visionquest, and even Snoop Dogg, set the Motor City dancing with their stellar deep grooves. When stories about the declining state of the human condition in Detroit become the norm, it's important and refreshing when folks like 73-year old Fest300 Festival All-Star Grandma Techno can speak positively about how "[y]oung creative people, artists, musicians and free thinkers are moving [to Detroit], bringing "a groundswell of new life and energy." Movement broke its attendance record in 2015 with an estimated 30,000-plus revelers in attendance at various points. And for as much as Movement's success is forged on club-ready sounds peaking in EDM culture, the festival also represents the best of a city both evolving and on the brink at the exact same time. A fascinating study in making the absolute best in a tumultuous time for the city of Detroit, Movement demands significant attention and praise. -- Marcus Dowling

Burning Man - Burning Man, Nevada

Burning Man’s influence has been so contagious that there are now hundreds of affiliated events around the world, but there’s still nothing like the “pageant of trippy ingenuity and gorgeousness” that you’ll experience at Black Rock City. We all do things at Burning Man we probably wouldn’t do at home. On my 50th birthday, my initiation upon arrival that year was through a 3-story macramé birthing tube naked. As I writhed to the ground, a small crowd applauded with jubilance. I’ve been going to this annual artistic pilgrimage for 15 years, and I’ve found Burning Man to be the ultimate magnifying mirror, a place where I come face-to-face with my soul. And, invariably, whatever may show up in the desert—from anxiety to adulation—these are themes desperately seeking more attention in my life. This kind of magnifying mirror can be both awkward and uncomfortable for some , but I find it better than sitting on a therapist’s couch. -- Chip Conley