What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?

Subject: Review: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest?
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 15 Jul 23 - 08:00 AM

SIDMOUTH FOLK WEEK-UK
I've just heard that there is to be no LNE at The Bulverton this year. Anyone know why? This will cause numbers to drop, traders to lose out and the fun for the young folkies will dwindle.

what do you think?

LL

Subject: RE: Review: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 15 Jul 23 - 08:53 AM

"LNE"?

Subject: RE: Review: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest?
From: GUEST,Derrick
Date: 15 Jul 23 - 09:03 AM

Unless it has been recently cancelled it is featured here.

https://sidmouthfolkfestival.co.uk/bulverton-ceilidhs-more/thebulverton/

Subject: RE: Review: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest?
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 15 Jul 23 - 09:08 AM

'"LNE"?'

Yes I wondered about that too. A search revealed 'Late Night Extra', which brought no further clarity. A thread for people 'in the know', apparently.

Subject: RE: Review: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest?
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 15 Jul 23 - 10:48 AM

They don't want to pay for a dance floor.

Subject: RE: Review: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 15 Jul 23 - 10:52 AM

The in-crowd must be tighter in England than it is in Ireland, Peter. ;-)

Subject: RE: Review: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest?
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jul 23 - 11:08 AM

facebook says no wooden dance floor so ceilidhs and dance workshops all in the town, but the early evening events still take place (which in the past were youngsters bopping individually not dancing in sets) and the Late Night Extra slot becomes sessions/concerts with seats in the bar area or continue bopping on the ground.

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: BobL
Date: 16 Jul 23 - 03:34 AM

Last time I managed to get to Sidmouth, some 10 years ago, LNE was held at the Bowd. When did it move?

For the out-crowd, Bulverton is on the outskirts of Sidmouth, and hosts the main camp site. It was chosen as it was far enough away from the town so as not to annoy the residents. However Sidmouth has since expanded, and a new housing estate now adjoins the campsite.
The Bowd was about a mile out of town, sufficiently distant (in the days before amplification ruled) for the Late Night Extra event, 11 p.m. until 2 a.m. It was served by chemical toilets, which had a sign asking that nothing be put in them "that has not been eaten first, the only exception being the hard toilet paper provided for your discomfort and inconvenience."

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: GUEST,Guest not above
Date: 16 Jul 23 - 09:17 PM

A quick check on mr google revealed that there are quite a lot of not very happy bunnies who bought tickets on the basis of the venue being used as in the recent past.
They will be looking for refunds apparently and there are already mutterings of legal eagles getting involved - there's a surprise!

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 17 Jul 23 - 03:24 AM

In the background I can hear echoes of Tevye singing "Tradition"

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 Jul 23 - 04:08 AM

Don't like the veggie burgers. Would swap any three acts for a big mac and a mcflurry.

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: Howard Jones
Date: 17 Jul 23 - 07:16 AM

The LNE ceilidhs are, or were, very special events for both the audiences and the performers. For a band to be selected to play at an LNE was an accolade. In 40 years of playing hundreds of gigs with ceilidh bands, including festivals both large and small, for me playing a Sidmouth LNE remains one of the most memorable experiences.

They are particularly important to the morris sides and volunteer stewards, who are unpaid and for whom the LNEs represent an opportunity to meet friends and dance after a busy day working for the festival. These are the people on whom the festival relies. Many of them are the younger generation who need to be encouraged. Many have bought a cheaper Bulverton-only ticket in the expectation of a particular offering which is not now going to be provided.

People are asking why, if cost savings are needed, why was this not identified earlier so it could be addressed? There is a strong feeling that the festival has misunderstood its Bulverton audience and is not treating them properly, especially as this decision was not properly announced and was only slipped out just a few weeks before the festival starts.

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: cnd
Date: 17 Jul 23 - 08:14 AM

As an American who's never so much as been to the British Isles, I'm obviously ignorant of the inner-workings and politickings of the festival, however, having helped run a (very, very) small one in the States before and being close to people involved in organizing larger festivals, I feel like it's worth considering that this was just overlooked until someone brought it up. With a festival, especially a large one, it's not hard for things to fall through the cracks, especially if it's been one particular way for years.

This is not to say that Sidmouth didn't have ulterior motives in canceling this "LNE," but it's not necessarily nefarious.

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: Howard Jones
Date: 17 Jul 23 - 09:04 AM

I'm assuming cockup rather than conspiracy. However by replacing the ceilidhs with concerts the organisers seem to have misunderstood what their LNE audiences want. They don't just want an opportunity for late-night socialising, they want to dance. Not having a dance floor and replacing the dance bands with concert performers is therefore more than an inconvenience, it completely alters the nature of the event. People are complaining that this is not what they want, and is not what they expected when they bought their tickets or agreed to perform or steward for free. For many of these, the LNEs are their main reason for attending the festival.

They are also complaining that the festival must (or should) have known that this was a possibility much earlier. The information has only now become known, leaving it too late to try to arrange crowdfunding to pay for a dance floor.

If you're suggesting that someone simply forgot to book the dance floor, that is of course possible. However Sidmouth has been running since 1955, you'd expect them to have got the hang of it by now.

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: cnd
Date: 17 Jul 23 - 09:40 AM

That's not strictly what I was saying -- it sounds as if some other saturations have changed about the availability of spaces, which changes things a bit -- however you do make a good point about "missing the mark" of the audience. Merlefest has a popular dance tent event that closes the night, and it's always a big hit. I can imagine if it was replaced with more of what the rest of the day held (but at night), there'd be some upset people.

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: GUEST,MikeofNorthumbria (sans cookie)
Date: 17 Jul 23 - 10:47 AM

It’s very sad to read about the downgrading/demise of the Late Night Extra at Sidmouth. These events (like the similar late-night ceilidhs at Whitby) are remembered by many - myself included – as high points of the festival.

But circumstances change, and we have to cope with them as best we can. Residents of Sidmouth’s new housing estate who have to get up for work in the morning won’t tolerate being kept awake by amplified music for several nights in a row. So, alternatives must be found - though the punters should have been told about this before they bought their tickets.

Anyhow, the extension of drinking hours in recent years has already put a damper on these events. Back in the day, when the publicans of Sidmouth or Whitby had to stop serving liquor at 11pm, we had a strong incentive to walk up the hill and carry on supping until 1am.   (And the entertainment on offer there was usually first-class.) Now, with pubs serving until 2am, and sessions and sing-arounds in them flourishing, many think “why bother?”

In my experience, attendance at late ceilidhs has been dropping for some while, and the crowded conviviality of the old days is much rarer than before.   A new generation of festival punters - and festival organisers – will have to find their own ways to revive it.

Wassail!

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 17 Jul 23 - 11:08 AM

Was it the Balfour Arms that had the ticket-only lock-ins?

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: Howard Jones
Date: 17 Jul 23 - 11:25 AM

There's been no suggestion that this is anything to do with the neighbours, and besides they ceilidhs have been replaced with concerts, which will be amplified. It's all about costs.

Manitas, you're right, it was the Balfour that had the after-hours ticket-only sessions. These were mainly for booked performers at the festival.

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 19 Jul 23 - 04:46 AM

There has been some progress in a better direction in the last 24 hours.
See the latest statement from Sidmouth Folk Festival on their Facebook page:

A huge thank you to the Sidmouth Folk Festival community – especially the ceilidh dancers and social dancers, musicians, volunteers, artists and young people for all of your comments, interest and promises of help expressed over the last few days. Last night – representatives of all these groups met with some of the Festival team to talk through the issues that have arisen around the Bulverton dance floor. We really appreciate everyone joining us at very short notice.

“Buoyed by your enthusiasm and promises of help, the production team has gone back to look at other alternatives. We are hopeful that in the next few days we’ll be able to share some very good news indeed. It may not be a perfect solution for this year, and will need your help – but will also give us a collective eye on finding a sustainable way forward for next year and beyond.

Watch this space – we will have an update in the next few days when we’ll be poised and ready to take you up on your generous offers of support (including financial help) through a special funding project to get our LNE ceilidhs back in place.

In the meantime, please do continue to come back to us with your ideas, enthusiasm and offers of further help.”

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 19 Jul 23 - 04:48 AM

Quote mark should be before: A huge thank you!

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 20 Jul 23 - 04:23 PM

All smiles again! Apparently a crowdfunding thingy has raised thousands in a couple of days to restore the missing floor! Now why didn’t the original committee think of that before issuing the doom-laden announcement a few days ago? A further copy and paste from their Facebook page.

“ *Thank you so much to the wonderful Sidmouth Folk Festival community who have given so generously to ensure the Bulverton has a dance floor this year. You did it!

We are quite overwhelmed at the response and it’s an indication of your passion and commitment to the festival, to dancing and to LNEs that you raised more than £10,000 in a little over three hours.

To ensure the continuation of the Bulverton as a dance venue next year and in future years, we have decided to keep the crowdfunder open and the money we raise from now on will go towards the sustainability of the venue - more on that coming soon...*

Help us floor the Bulverton! After your incredible community response this week, we're coming to you for help.
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/nobodys-floorless-bulverton

We're running perhaps the shortest crowdfunding campaign we've ever seen. Although the crowdfunding campaign 'officially' finishes later, we have to know by Monday 24 July if we're going to go ahead or not. If we haven't hit the target by Monday afternoon, we'll end the campaign early. So we really need your help.

There's no minimum donation, and everyone can have a badge (generously donated outside of this campaign).

Please note Crowdfunder will add an automatic tip - this can be deleted.

THANK YOU”

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: GUEST,Guest not above
Date: 21 Jul 23 - 08:02 PM

Well that's a relief then!!

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 22 Jul 23 - 07:44 AM

The crowdfunding has raised enough to pay for a dance floor this year - the target has now been stretched to raise enough for the relevant area of the field to be levelled and make it easier to install a dance floor in future years.
Kitty

Subject: RE: What's this I hear about Sidmouth Fest 2023?
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 31 Jul 23 - 05:41 PM

That's great news
Well done!
LL