The past three weeks have been jam-packed full of Festival highlights. We opened with a bang on January 9 with Festival First Night, and saved some of the best til last with Leonard Bernstein's Candide at Mazda Opera in The Domain last Saturday night. We asked Sydney Festival staff for their favourite 'Festival moment' and here are some of the responses:

Standing at the barrier as the first A.R. Rahman fans entered the mosh-pit. They included a 6 month old baby and an 80 year old woman in full sari!

Being kissed by Dan Sultan at the Beck's Festival Bar.

Every moment I spent in the Festival Garden.

Hugs and kisses from the Revered Al Green on arrival at Sydney Airport!

Hearing a collective gasp of appreciation in the final scene of Hamlet.

Sitting in the Spiegeltent singing along with Patrick Watson while the rain bucketed down outside. Magic.

The bliss that was Toumani Diabaté at the State Theatre.

Being iOTA's object of obsession in Smoke and Mirrors (at least until he got closer!)

The Arrival, well really, just The Arrival. Glorious.

Peter Sellars standing in the middle of the Sydney Festival office yelling "I love you wonderful Festival people!" and the staff erupting in a spontaneous round of laughter and applause.

Immersing myself in the glory of Oedipus Rex & Symphony of Psalms - feeling the music cleanse my weary body and soul.

Seeing families playing cricket around Parramatta Park as they waited for A.R. Rahman to take to the stage.

Leaping to my feet on the last note of The Manganiyar Seduction.

Sarah Blasko wrapping thousands of people round her little finger when she performed a cappella in Rogue's Gallery.

Watching Hamlet literally eat dirt.

Looking back at the amazing sea of people at A.R. Rahman, getting emotional at the end of Jai Ho!

Opening lines of The Slutcracker: "Slutcracker....bit of a misnomer really!"

Tears in the eyes as a dancer in Happy as Larry displayed those little moments of secret joy, little bursts of uncontainable glee that we all feel (if we are lucky). Magic to see them on stage like this, so beautifully done.

The yellow balloon photo competition - loved it and was thrilled to see people's images on the big screens.

The Decemberists, especially the final three songs, complete with an audience singing "La-dee-dah-dee-di-di-dah" back and forth at each other, a cover version of a classic Go-Betweens song, and then 1200 people screaming as if being eaten by a giant whale in the 10 minute long Mariner's Revenge Song.

Grandmaster Flash, where all the classics made an impressive appearance. "Don't push me 'cos I'm close to the edge, I am trying not to lose my head...". Hell yeah!

Patrick Watson and his homemade speaker light backpack contraption!

Watching the Beck's Festival Bar erupt with the call and response of Grandmaster Flashes' party starting tunes.

Seeing a dinosaur 'escape' into Hyde Park from Erth's Petting Zoo on Festival First Night and be chased by dozens of kids.

Having an exhausted Lars Eidinger sit in front of us in the final scene of Hamlet and mournfully chastise the giggling swarm of girls around him: "don't laugh at me! I'm about to DIE!"

The Heliosphere gliding above heads in College Street on Festival First Night.

Waiting for the last curtain to open at The Manganiyar Seduction and thinking how much they must be itching to bang their drums after being up there quietly for an hour and a half!

The energy exuded from The Manganiyar Seduction and the audience in Hype Park on Festival First Night.

Watching Hamlet with my two teenage boys and loving the fact that they were totally engaged and loved the performance.

Late-night in the Spiegeltent, the band had long gone and the DJ was cranking it to a raucous audience dancing their hearts out, when out of nowhere appears a conga line snaking through the crowd and quickly picking up almost everyone on the dance-floor. Shamelessly silly fun, can't beat it!

Unexpectedly going to Fink and taking the time out of the Festival to stop and listen to the soft voice and beautiful melodies.

Watching a happy, peaceful sea of smiling faces enjoying A.R. Rahman's free concert in Parramatta Park.

Immersion at Grizzly Bear - the soundscape of the band, the lighting and the acoustic of City Recital Hall all combined to create an unforgettable experience. Watching the crowd go crazy at Grandmaster Flash - hilarious, insane and so much fun.

Watching Patrick Watson and his band performing their final song and weaving their way through a packed crowd at Beck's Festival Bar when they stepped in as the support act for Grizzly Bear.

Sharon Shannon Band managing to turn a Belgian Beer Tent into an Irish pub with a truly stunning display of musicianship and craic.

Giselle, for its crazy beauty as a Sam Sheppard-esque play blended with a Stephen King feel within some beautiful movement.

Observing the anticipation of the crowds at Parramatta as the hours rolled closer to A. R. Rahman's concert.

Driving a buggy for the first time.

Watching the full dress rehearsal of A.R. Rahman with a really small crowd of people but also knowing that the next day the spot where I was sitting would become a moshpit of full thousands of screaming fans.   

Listening to Grizzly Bear's Two Weeks washing over the crowd at the City Recital Hall.

Seeing The Sunchasers christening the Festival Garden bandstand and watching people jig on the lawn.

The restorative and ethereal sounds of Toumani Diabaté at the State Theatre.

Shuttling Patrick Watson between the Spiegeltent and the Beck's Festival Bar to play with Grizzly Bear.

The Pure Passion cocktail at Go! cocktail bar in the Festival Garden. 

The all-star African jam finale at Summer Sounds in The Domain with Toumani Diabaté's Symmetric Orchestra, Vieux Farka Touré and Afro Moses all on stage together and the whole Domain on their feet dancing.

The production manager of The Manganiyar Seduction sent me a text from India to wish me a Happy Australia Day - I shot him right back a happy Indian Independence Day text!

On the opening night of Giselle, sitting outside CarriageWorks with Michael Keegan-Dolan. With the show starting in 20 minutes we both agreed there was nothing we could do but enjoy the beautiful sunset over Redfern. A quiet, calm moment in a very hectic month...

Lighting a cannon during the 1812 overture at Symphony in The Domain!

Bouncing around in a semi-mosh pit to the hill-billy tunes of Juke Baritone on the late night in the Spiegeltent. The crowd was having so much fun the singer suddenly disappeared off stage only to reappear moments later next to me in the thick of the raucousness grabs my hand and starts crazy-jumping around with the rest of us. Awesome.

Last night of the festival and we're gathered in the Festival Garden, beautiful summer's night, full moon, bubbly crowd, Smoke & Mirrors just performed their final show, the DJ is cranking tunes from the Rotunda - he plays Frankie Valli's "I Love You Baby" and the whole garden, as if cued, collectively assemble, dancing in sync and singing the lyrics out loud, a great finale number indeed!