Arnie brought up on a different thread that at the recent OCFF (Ontario Council of Folk Festivals) conference, it looked like trad. would end up in the history books rather than having a presence on festival stages. It wasn't appropriate to respond to it on that thread, so I've started this one.

I have certainly noticed this trend over the years at our Ontario Festivals. Thankfully there are still places such as the Celtic festival in Goderich at which trad. is the mainstay. I really feel that it is a responsibility of festival organizers to keep trad. alive and well. The public needs to be educated. There can be a mix. I worry so much when festivals such as Eaglewood promote themselves now as singer-songwriter festivals. Can't there be a mix, and sometimes some creative interplay between these two streams of music? Why should a trad. artist, such as Arnie, be shut out of any folk festival?

~black walnut