Although the festival goers may have paid quite a lot for their season ticket, they're not the only people in the town during the festival. The youth of the town - the 'lager swilling youth' you refer to - live there all year round and can't be expected to convert to folk music for the week. The independent pubs which put music on throughout the year - possibly the 'deafening third rate pop covers' you also refer to - have to make a living and keep their clientele as well. I doubt very much that the Black Horse and the Dukes bar were being subsidised by the festival.

The 'third rate' bands I heard were actually bloody good - professional, energetic, musical and obviously very popular with many of the townees and festival-goers alike. You may not like their music or those people, but there's no need to look down your nose at them.