I received this email today. A great line-up but not good news about the future of the festival.

Adrian

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The National Folk Music Festival

Friday 8th April from 5pm to Sunday 10th April 2005


Final plans for the guest list are now being tidied up but I thought I would write to everyone who is on my e-mail list and let you know who has been booked and give you an early opportunity to book for the festival. I may not produce a full colour leaflet this year and if you receive this e-mail, you will not receive anything else through the post concerning National Folk Music Festival publicity.

Our accommodation capacity is the same as last year's but considerably less than some of the previous years, so it is important, if you want to come to the festival, that you book as soon as possible. I know many of you double up in a room. This is very helpful as it can mean I can double the numbers at the festival but even so, when you book and you do double up in a room, please let me know the names of the people sharing that room. This information is required by Sutton Bonington Campus for fire regulations.

The loss of hostels over the last couple of years means that our residential capacity has been reduced by 60 and if the loss of those rooms reflects a loss from those attending, then the Festival revenue is down by over £2,000. In these circumstances, if you are not on the official guest list but want to help with the Festival, I regret that I am not in a position to offer any complimentary tickets. I hope this will not stop you booking and enjoying, hopefully, what is one of the best, if not the best, Festival of the year! The guests booked include:-


Sarah Grey
Vic Legg
Vivienne Legg
Martin Carthy
John Cocking
Eliza Carthy
Will Noble
Brian Peters
George Withers
The Bismarcks
        Emily Portman & Lauren McCormick
Nancy Kerr
Doc Rowe
Sandra Kerr
Jill Pidd
Bob Walser
Jeff Warner
Finbar Wall
Brendan McGlinchey
John Spiers and Jon Boden
        Hearts of Coal
Words and music celebrating the history, courage and humour of mining communities, with:
Barry Coope
Jim Boyes
Fi Fraser
Ray Hearne
Rolling Stock Company         
The booking form details are an attachment to this e-mail. Please print off, complete and return to this office to secure your booking. You may wish to consider advertising in the Festival programme and details of this are enclosed as a second attachment. If for any reason, you are not able to open the attachments, please e-mail me your name and address and I will put a hard copy in the post to you.

Please feel free to forward this e-mail to anyone you feel would be interested and please also feel free to print out this e-mail and pass around to your friends and colleagues, but if for any reason you do not wish to be kept on this e-mail list, please let me know and I will arrange for your e-mail address to be deleted.

Shock – Horror!

This will be the last National Folk Music Festival held at Sutton Bonington in the spring. The University's term now runs through for a forty-four week period from the beginning of September, without a break for Christmas and Easter holidays. The campus is, therefore, not available to us as it has been for the last twenty-plus years. August might be a possibility, but otherwise if anyone can give me any assistance with other conference centres that you feel might be appropriate, please let me know.

Looking forward to hearing from you. Many thanks.

JOHN HEYDON –
ORGANISER

National Folk Music Festival, 3 Church Street, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 2QP.
Tel: (01296) 415333    Website: www.thenationalfolkfestival.co.uk

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