Hiawatha is not just a folk music festival. It is an instant community of people seeking to create a peaceful environment to gather with family and friends to enjoy their common love of music and dance. It is children learning to play an instrument and share the love of music with their friends. It is gathering of the tribes of many different families, generations and groups of like souls. It is a multi-generational gathering that continues to grow and prosper each year. It is more than a tradition: it is a way of life.