Dick, with respect your very first post which started this thread said:

Subject: Closure of Folk Festivals
From: The Sandman - PM
Date: 25 Apr 18 - 05:01 AM

Beverley has closed and Alcester has closed.
The closure of Beverley is reminiscent of the closure of Pickering a few years ago, is this the result of business entrepreneurs trying to make a quick buck?

Be that as it may, I think the problem is that some festivals get caught up in a vicious circle where they feel that they have to become bigger and better to compete with other festivals so the costs rise, so they have to spend even more to bring in more paying visitors. And, without implying criticism of any individuals whether at Beverley or elsewhere, they are often being run in their spare time by people who perhaps don't have much other experience of running a business. The other problem is that they are often far too dependent on external funding as ticket sales aren't sufficient, which makes them vulnerable.

On the other hand, there is no shortage of folk festivals of all sizes and many seem to be running successfully. It is disappointing for all concerned when one fails, especially for those who will lose money, but overall the festival scene looks fairly healthy.