Sorry Hootenanny; you're quite right it's not. Just rather close. At least I take it it's that Barking? And that Newham will remain short of culture.

And if you want to put it that way G_G_Guest, yes it is about MEE, doing something I love in the company of like minded friends. is that so bad? And other than that they listen, whereas we play, are not audiences doing that same thing?
As regards festivals, consider the process of condensation in clouds; given a suitable nucleus, water vapour condenses, and ultimately produces refreshing (or at least usually necessary) rain. The festival is a nucleus, musicians collect around it, and the community is (we hope) refreshed '(take tongue out of cheek)'!

The fringe doesn't happen because someone organises it; if it did it wouldn't be a 'fringe' but part of the festival. It happens because the festival is a good place to be, and there's a good pub nearby. Don't knock it.