I would like to ask everyones opinion regarding music festivals in the US. It doesn’t have to be only Irish. A festival that you can go and camp nearby and listen to good music for a couple days. Examples would be Milwauki Irish fest and Grey fox bluegrass fest.
There is a 3 or 4 day festival in Sebastopol, California (about an hour north of San Francisco) during the weekend of Sept 21. It has many big names performing, plus an all day session tent and workshops in many instruments. There is a web site, but I don’t have the link at work.
Tony
Once again bring you the obscure and the wierd:
Keep your eye out for “Nowoodstock” in Ten Sleep, Wyoming. (Named for the Nowood River that flows through the town).
It’s a small festival in July. This was its first year, and though small (no “Big Names”) it was really, really fun! Camping/fishing/food within walking distance of the venue, a few craft booths, and a large variety of music, from Celtic to Bluegrass to Rock. Mostly “folk” type stuff, though.
If best means biggest, this certainly isn’t it! (: But it is a fun, relaxing couple days, and it’s just going to get better.
Tom
I might have to load up the motor home and come up for that one next year Tom.
Here in Colorado a couple of the good ones are The Mile High Hooley, a one day event that packs the entertainment in with top name acts, dancing and dance instruction vendors, craft booths and GUINESS on tap
another is the The festival of the Mabon in Lyons Co. http://www.bluegrass.com/Pages/mabon.html
Solas, Lunasa and more performing
Here’s a link to the most complete list of festival’s I’ve found so far.
FROG](http://ifp.uni-muenster.de/~tkeller/pub/usafst.htm%3EFROG) Festivals links from Folk Roots On-line Guide.
Hopefully it help you plan your trips so you can …
You mentioned Milwaukee Irish Fest - though I am a little biased, I do think that’s the best! 
But Milwaukee is the city of festivals, and there is one going on somewhere in the city all summer long! Polish Fest, Festa Italiana, Fiesta Mexicana, Oktoberfest, Asian Moon Festival, African World Fest, Bastille Days, Fisher Fest (Christian) and more, and of course the granddaddy of them all, Summerfest (the Big Gig) a week long festival of music (of ALL kinds), food, and being Milwaukee, beer. There’s even Winterfest in February for those who like their festivals on ice. Some of the festivals have better music than others, and some better food, but they all are fun!
Walnut Valley Festival (WVF) a.k.a. “Winfield”. It’s always in Sep. and held at a fair ground in Winfield, Kansas. This year it’s Sep. 13-16. Bluegrass, Irish, Traditional, mostly anything. check out http://www.wvfest.com if you’re interested. hope to see you there!!!
Brent
I recommend the Stone Mountain Highland Games in Atlanta, GA, and the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, in North Carolina. (The latter has more music.)
The Dublin Irish festival (Dublin, Ohio) is held the first weekend in August and is the second largest Irish festival in the country (Milwaukee is the largest). This year the entertainment included Cherish the Ladies, Martin Hayes/Dennis Cahill, Seven Nations, the Young Dubliners, Niamh Parsons, Altan, John Whelan, and others. All this for the price of admission ($8).
As an added bonus, Mike Burke was there pushing his whistles.
I really enjoyed the Dublin festival as well. Cherish the Ladies was a really fun show to watch, and I got the chance to play a Burke whistle as an added bonus. I highly reccommend this event.
Hey Brent ~ I think that festival is where the Schmidt Family is playing. You shouldn’t be so modest (though I like that).
Sorry we’re going to miss it.
Check out the Old Songs Festival in Altamont NY,near Albany, last weekend in June. ALL sorts of acoustic trad music including Celtic, flamenco, Cajun, French Canadian, Klezmer, you name it. Workshops ( I went to a Chris Norman one 2 yrs ago). Impromptu sessions springing up. Craftspeople. Food available. Beautiful surroundings. Camping right on the grounds ( sign up early). Lots of other things to check out not too far away ( Adirondacks about 2 hr away, etc). Well worth the trip.