In 1997, Sarah McLachlan launched the all-female music festival Lilith Fair -- the top-grossing festival of that year and top-grossing female music festival of all time. While it was one for the record books -- and featured artists including Natalie Merchant, the Pretenders, Fiona Apple and Sheryl Crow, among many others -- McLachlan ended the touring fest in 1999. The singer-songwriter, however, just announced its return.

"We are happy to officially announce the long awaited return of Lilith Fair in the summer of 2010," a statement read on McLachlan's website. "Please stay tuned for more details on the festival and other Sarah news."

When Spinner spoke to McLachlan last fall, she hinted at Lilith's possible return. "Never say never," she said. "For many years it was just flat-out 'Nope. No, can't even think about it.' But the longer time passes, it doesn't seem like an impossibility."

"I guess I was rather unprepared for the media onslaught and the sort of excitement that ensued from Lilith," she explained. "I had very simple goals. I wanted to put on a great musical show, and showcase all the amazing women that were coming up in music and not being represented in any other summer festivals. And certainly to have guys say, 'Oh, this isn't gonna work, putting 200 women on one bill,' fueled it, as well."

McLachlan, who, after launching Lilith Fair, was largely cast as the modern day face of feminism, maintains that there's still certainly a need for that particular f-word. "[Women] still don't have job equality, we still don't have equal pay," she said. "There's discrimination everywhere. I was trying to uphold what I thought feminism was as best I could by supporting women, by trying to create an opportunity to get women to get together, play music together and celebrate the fact that we are having great success making music on our own and together."

Welcome back, Sarah. Now, when can we hear that new album?