Festivals, also known as contests, adjudications, and music performance assessments (MPA), are a yearly part of the music education experience for many teachers and students in K-12 bands, orchestras, and choirs. A vignette paints a picture of inequity within festivals that suggests a need to scrutinize these events and their role in the field. A brief history outlining the origins and purposes of festivals is shared. Issues of equity in modern-day festivals are then explored, including the reliability and validity of adjudication instruments; adjudicator bias and evaluation forms; limitations of music lists and musical approaches allowed; and inequities related to gender, social class, and socioeconomic status. Challenges to classroom practice and teacher evaluation are discussed— including the disconnect between these events and 21st century educational values. Implications for music teachers, music teacher educators, festival organizers, and music educators associations are discussed.
