Festivals are usually business ventures designed to make profit for the organizers. Even a well established non-profit such as Pinewoods, Hurdy Gurdy, Clearwater, or Folk Project make money off their events. The Borderline operates as a house concert and all money taken in goes directly to the performers. In this case 100% of the money taken in goes to support the Mystic Festival since all of the performers are donating their services gratis. This is a pot luck event so everybody will be bringing food to share with one another. What we were looking for from ShopRite was donations of soft drinks and bottled water. Even though this event is not being held in a house because we want the additional capacity to raise more $$$ for Mystic, it is operating on the same principle. I do not take out an insurance policy for house concerts and neither does any other house concert presenter that I know and I am in touch wih all of them. The home owners insurance covers private parties and that is what a house concert is. The ambulance corps venue operates on the same principle. I was able to secure it free of charge because my chief volunteer is the President of that organization. They do not rent it out to other organizations for a fee. Members of the Corps can use it for their own private parties free of charge and this event is a private party for the President's own folk music club. He does not feel that an insurance certificate is necessary.
The only rule that has to be followed is NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES allowed on the premises. If we have to pay for an insurance policy it is no longer a private party but a business and then we have to worry about the ASCAP & BMI folks as well. The only extra expense that we have is the Sound Engineer who is bringing the sound system and I am personally paying him out of my own pocket. Nothing at all is going to come out of Mystic's pocket. They get everything.