Rhythm and Joy festival launched Oct. 4 -6, 2013 in Simi Valley, CA. (see www.rajfestival.com). Visionary and founder of the RAJ Festival is Rickie Byars Beckwith who worked with a team of very brilliant folks to create an inclusive, intergenerational, and family friendly music and arts festival. In the words of Rickie BB, "We left a low carbon footprint with no plastic bottles but with free filtered alkaline water instead; vegan and vegetarian food, nutritionists, healers, wisdom teachers and extraordinary music that crossed boundaries of all kinds. The festival sought to give voice to artists & facilitators who are overlooked for festivals or who just don't know how to "get in." And children as well as elders are included in our design. For three days many camped, or visited a beautiful place where they could feel the majesty of the Earth, Sun and Moon. We listened to great poets and then became like a poem of how beautiful it is to live in peace on the most beautiful planet in the Universe. We now continue with smaller gatherings that we call RAJMAHALS! We revisit what it means to love and care for each other and we dance because we know in the soul that celebration is what it is all about. We celebrate the best in us and learn how to release that which no longer serves us. We change the world with our art and music because we change ourselves. Our theme this year; RAJ is RISING!"