Can't see that - they aren't appealing for festival goers to come up with the loot, but for the local traders to help ensure they continue make a fat profit off the festival goers, and for the local council to keep paying a modest amount to ensure that this money keeps rolling in.

It's a wake-up call to the local businesses who benefit from it but don't support it.

That may be the main intention but those who attend the festival are the people who care the most and are the people who are set worrying by the press release, and take part in discussions like this one. I don't expect the local businesses and councils are doing the same. I suspect also that the organisers rather expect that the festival attendees will put the pressure on, in order to keep it going in its current form, rather than risk losing it......