Here are my favorites from Shakori Hills and MerleFest:
dancing to the Red Stick Ramblers (listen to The Main Street Blues),
having my mind rhythmically blown by Luminescent Orchestrii (listen),
slammin with the Can Kickers (listen),
zydeco dancing with Katharine Whalen *crush*,
jamming around the Sugar Hill campfire with Woody’s granddaughter,
singing Turn, Turn, Turn with Pete Seeger,
falling in love with the Ditty Bops (watch, listen) (they are doing a LA-to-NYC tour on bicycle and invited everyone along! i’m there.),
listening to Floodie & Sadie’s duet 
,
seeing Emmy Lou, Doc Watson, Flecktones, and Gillian (three times) live (finally!),
but mostly chillin and reconnecting with amig@s, cuz that’s what festivals are for.