I agree with the comments from Dick the Box. Also, this thread is titled "REVIEW" which in many organisations means looking at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. If you just talk about the positives and pretend the negatives aren't significant., the weaknesses and threats are likely to bust the organisation.

Whoever was in charge of organising the dance display teams did a great job (pity they couldn't organise the weather better!). Ceilidhs at the Anchor and most of the Blackmore were very good. Negative - the Blackmore does need a bigger tent for both the dance showcases and ceilidhs .
I was told the social dance events were also full.

Concerts were generally good but I suspect that people who couldn't pay the extra for the Ham evenings moved to the Bedford and Rugby club, which were then crowded. Major negative—people then couldn't pay on the door to get in meaning loss of income for the festival.

Neither of the threads on Sidmouth praise the "roots" element at the Bulverton, and the audiences have been low, so who is pushing for it to be in the folk festival when it is obviously not what the paying public want.
OK, there is likely to be an element of subsidy of some events, but remember that means putting up the prices for other events. A lot of people this year were thinking that season tickets are no longer worth the money, especially with the headline acts needing an extra outlay on top of the ordinary/second-class season ticket. Again, the festival will be losing potential income when people stop buying seasons.

On the issue of cross-subsidy, who had the daft idea of giving a 39quid reduction to 18-25 year olds? That's a big drop in income for the festival finances. These young adults should be able to pay the same as older folkies(who are more likely to have major commitments or be on pensions) or they are old enough to steward.
Towersey, Shrewsbury, Chippenham, Loughborough etc all limit the reductions to youth stopping at 17.

Remember that Mrs Casey pulled out because the potential losses outweighed the average revenues, and they were spreading their admin over a number of festivals and activities. The committee needs to consider what its core audience wants, and look carefully at where the costs are not bringing in the benefits, otherwise the festival will go bust.
Instead of putting up overall prices to subsidise the roots and the young adults, concentrate on keeping the season ticket affordable for the ordinary festival goer.