Next on my Biro circled bill was WOMAD guru Bob Brozman at 1pm. He's an artist that many couldn't get enough of, myself included. To witness his amazing ability and mana as a WOMAD ambassador seems an integral part of the experience, and his 'string instrument tour of the world' was a dazzling delight for all the senses. It was a centring bias to spin off for the rest of the day.

Things truly got rocking at 3pm when Sola Rosa hit the Brooklands stage, their fusion of soul/dub laced electronica was a heady brew in the mid afternoon heat, but that did not deter the Taranaki hardcore or the colourful assortment of visitors from mashing up the grassy dancefloor.

Spikee Tee added his mojo towards the end of the Sola Rosa set, ending a consummate performance. My only regret is that I couldn't clone myself and be at Patea Maori Club at the same time; such are the dilemmas of being at a great festival.

Calypso Rose took the reggae bus to the main stage at 4pm, sending her good (and cheeky) vibes across the moat and into the belly of the valley. Sweet reggae on a sunny day; it doesn't get any better than this in festival terms.

I went for a double dose of Rango at 5pm, the Sudanese/Egyptian collective who were my highlight of the festival. Again they delved back into the ancient sands and brought that spirit right up to the present day with the youthful energy of young artists like 'Tutu' – who sent the sonic voodoo to a heady height with his tribal dance routine and cheeky quips with the crowd.

The carnival parade was relatively low-key and mainly a chance for the kids to adorn the costumes, masks and face painting that they had be creating in the kids zone. The Chinese dragon leading the charge.

The all-star gala at 6:30 was curated by DJ/producer Nitan Sawhney, a man renowned for his work on movie soundtracks and soundscapes. As the set started to dip behind the trees, the all-star cast created a spellbinding performance – all about the fusion of sounds, the elements of world music and collaboration showcasing the 'brotherhood', sisterhood' and general family affair spirit of all the artists.

Things got a little more swarthy with The Barons of Tang at 7:30pm, stomping and sweating on the Brooklands stage with their gypsy stew of Balkan and Romany rhythms. They got the crowd kicking up dust – but I found myself pining for 17 Hippies who were superior stalwarts of this sound.

Horace Andy & Dub Asante was superb on the main stage - he and the band looked like ants from where I sat at the top of the hill, but the sound was shiny as copper and beamed through the bowl with sweet clarity.

Pakistani qawwali outfit Faiz Ali Faiz played to a sitting crowd on the Gables stage, weary legs, a chilly night and the hypnotic trance like state of their music was a beautiful way to sail off from WOMAD.

Not before the final performance of Amadou & Miriam, who closed out the event with their seductive Afro-beat concoction. Again they showed off their X factor - seemingly simple songs glimmer with magic; due in part to the coupling of their voices and Amadou's stealth guitar licks.

So there we have it. A snapshot of WOMAD as a live experience, jostling with the crowds, juggling acts to see and wandering around this magical wonderland. I haven't even mentioned the wonderful food here, the merchandise stalls, the well-being area to massage your body and soul into shape, the artist workshops, the world food showcase run by Peta Mathias or the artists in conversation. It is a superbly run event – so mucho qudos goes to the organisers – however, the only way to experience WOMAD, is to come, no matter how colourful the stories are.

Pencil it into 2012 calendar with a Vivid, simple as that.

www.womad.co.nz