The after-hours chantey sessions will probably be at the same places as last year: Saturday night at the Highliner Pub in Fishermans Terminal, and Sunday or Monday (maybe both) at T.S. McHugh's. Ask around at the NW Court beer garden and stage to be sure. Phillip Morgan will have the definite word about the Highliner.

Susan, if you're only there Friday and Saturday, we should aim for Saturday. We won't find a single day when everybody is there, because so many (except for the hard core like Genie and myself) have the sense not to go every day.

BDenz and others, if you limit yourself to a single stage or area where you know what to expect, you miss out on the unexpected things that are often quite wonderful (or at least worth the time). Last year, I was an "evaluator," which meant I spent time at some stages that I would not otherwise have been (like the Gospel Show and some of the ethnic shows). Other times I've been a last-minute substitute stage MC for acts I would not otherwise have seen. Some was good, some not-so-good, but it was certainly more enlightening than simply hanging out with the people I already knew about.

Take a chance on something new this year! It's part of the overall experience.

Believe it or don't, there's a lot of discussion among staff, board and other "insiders" about how to deal with crowding, drums, aggressive buskers, deciding what's approriate prorgramming, and finding the line between maintaining the festival's barnraising tradition and increased commercialism. I have my own opinions, but as a "community coordinator" and program committee member, I don't want to put them in this public forum. Talk to me privately and I'll tell you more.

There's a new head honcho this year, so it will be interesting to see how his vision for the festival changes after the event this year.