"Can someone give us any idea of how Getaway's organised and what it costs. We both enjoy impromptu song/music sessions and at most UK
festivals are much more likely to be found in the "fringe" pub events (often running them ourselves) rather than the big concerts. "

Dave, the Getaway is about participation and mutual enjoyment. It's home grown all the way. We usually have about a dozen special guests but they are still guests like everyone else, maybe leading a workshop or giving a short concert during the day but then joining in as "audience" or "contributor" in other people's workshops and joining in the late night singing.

There is a daytime program of four or five tracks of organized workshops and sing-arounds during the day and there is jamming going on much of the time as well.

The program consists of workshops, themed sing-arounds and jams (blues, C&W, pub sing, sea songs or whatever) and a few half hour concerts. The only difference between a workshop and a sing-around is that the workshop is intended to showcase attendees with special knowledge in the type of music being featured. The leaders get a chance to do several songs apiece during the hour, besides inviting the audience to participate. For example, last year we had "Mountain Songs and Ballads" and "Irish Unaccompanied Singing" workshops among others.

We started the concerts because so many people want a chance to hear, say, Kendall, or Big Mick Lane, or Bob Zentz, or Ed Trickett, etc. Different people are featured each year including, most years, one or two relatively unknown musicians and/or non-professionals.

There are sign-up concerts Saturday and Sunday, late-night music after that. Next year we think we'll set aside a cabin near the dining hall for an extra late-night music venue.

In my mind three things make the Getaway magical. The first is the sense of community. New people attend every year and they are "old friends" by the end of the weekend. Friendships are deepened every year and the circle keeps growing.

The second factor is the emphasis on mutual enjoyment and sharing.   Everyone is welcome to lead a song or tune and anyone is welcome to offer to lead a workshop, with the proviso that in the judgment of the program chair (that's me, mostly) it fits the overall balance of the program.

The third factor is the flat-out terrific musical quality you find at the Getaway. There are wonderful people, wonderful music, wonderful jams, wonderful late-night sings, wonderful workshops and concerts and special moments. Not everyone is a pro or an accomplished musician or even a musician at all, and not all the music is enjoyable, but the opportunities for wonderful musical experiences are soooooo amazing.

There's a variety of tastes and talents and musical surprises, such as Janice Cole's torch rendition of Rubber Ducky that has literally put people on the floor, they were laughing so hard. Or the year when Joel Bailes on piano and Rick Fielding on guitar jammed non-stop for two and a half hours with, as far as I know, absolutely no audience. Just music for the love of it.

Well I guess it will surprise you to learn that I love our FSGW Getaway :-D The thing that's so nice is that year after year more people fall in love with it.

Rita Ferrara