What an excellent festival Deal was - with lots to do. Changed days from the first time I organised for the Gundulf to go down there, when there realy was very little.

I had forgotten how good Avril's singing was - a pleasure to listen to her on the Friday night at the folk club.

Ade Dawkins and band made everybody who turned up to their sing around really welcome at the Port Arms. What an excellent backing band they made too, if asked to play along. That was followed by Boarder Crossing doing lots of join in songs. They just get better and better.

The evening session at the RMA had lots of stars of the festival, and some people we did not know, so a really nice variety of performances. The RMA members mostly listened or talked quietly.

We enjoyed the Deal Hoodeners in the Lifeboat house. Much better accoustics inside than out. The lunchtime session was a bit more noisy at the RMA. We had fish and chips from the fish shop next door, and ate some of the best chips I've had for a long while listening to the band at the bandstand.

We have not made the Deal festival for the last few years as we were booked elsewhere, but we thouroughly enjoyed our bussmans holiday.
FloraG