The (UK) Folk Camps organisation have been running these holidays very successfully for many years. It's a non-profit-making organisation staffed largely by volunteers. Their accounts are available to all the members.

The holiday includes full board adn all the kitchen facilities associated with that, a campsite, the use of toilets and other facilites such as hall or marquee, and a full programme of daily activities. Admittedly your participation is required to make all these things happen, but those who go to Folk Camps generally enjoy contributing to the musical activities and to the running of the camp.

The price you quote is for an adult who is paying at the last minute. Most people get a reduction by booking earlier. There are also reduced rates for children, and no charge for under-5s, which means your total figure is incorrect, as it's mainly aimed at families with children and teenagers. A family with three children (say, 4, 9 and 14) would pay £620 for the whole week, and would need little or nothing in the way of extra spending money. That's a pretty good deal for a holiday in August. There are also self-catering weekend camps.

When our children were in their teens, we had some wonderful holidays with Folk Camps. The kids could choose their own activities and spend their time in a gang with others of the same age, but we'd all meet up at mealtimes and for the evening's dancing and singing. If you don't like the sound of that, then stay away, you'd be better going to a festival, but for lively family holidays in a safe camp environment, Folk Camps are hard to beat.

Marje