many festivals have too many extras- all you need is music and a field
too much unnecessary overhead if it was more of a community event rather than a commercial one things could be different. I do several events a year. People bring food and drink and although I bring a keg and cook a turkey it is not all that expensive and we had 125 at the last big one. Of course I could hire all kinds of people to do all kinds of things but I would rather charge nothing and have people play who want to play. Musicians could also make much more if it was more of a community effort.

When I go into a place and can only afford to drink one pint somethings wrong and in the end the performer will loose while everyone in the food chain takes excessive profits.

Yes there is a good amount of money charging wealthy people far more than anyone ordinary can pay but why keep out a person who could pay a reasonable price. Lots of them out there.

Conrad