I am now in the balding/receding hairline age group with beard; although that has been there since I was 19. I attend 10-15 festivals in Britain a year and go to as many clubs/gigs as interest me and my experience is there are plenty of youngsters in the 10-18 age group who attend with their parents or friends they have made when dragged along over by said parents in previous years. However 18-25 year olds are far fewer; at an age when left to make their own leisure choices despite their exposure over many years. Having discussed this with people of varying ages in numerous bars across the country this appears to be commonplace. When free to choose the children tend to go with their peers to Glastonbury/Reading/Donnington festivals featuring music they ALL have in common rather than folk music which they dont discuss or even mention at school/college.

A friend who attends Sidmouth each year with his daughters is a case in point. The 16 year old loves the festival scene but has no points of reference with her school friends when she goes home so doesnt say where she spent her holiday. When discussing Chumbawumba earlier this year she was delighted to 'discover' she had seen them 4 years ago and could boats to her friends.

Wanting to see many more youngsters at folk music events may be highlt=y desireable but how to achieve it is altogether more problematical. At 18 would we have wanted to be seen listening to the same music as our parents?