HANDEL FESTIVAL, one of the most famous and long established of musical festivals, held periodically at the Crystal Palace, London, and designed originally to celebrate the centenary of Handel's death. A preliminary performance took place at the Crystal Palace in 1857. This was followed by the centenary fes tival of 1859, and thenceforward the festivals have been con tinued more or less regularly triennially, the successive conductors having been Costa (1857-8o), Manns (1883-190o), Cowen (1903 23) and Wood (1926). The programmes are devoted usually to complete oratorios on two days, the Messiah being invariably one of them, and to selections on the other.