MC Fat - thanks for the kind mention!

Carol - yes of course a good singaround depends on the singers who turn up, but it also depends very much on the experience of the MC whether the singers who turn up, and the audience, have a good time. And in my experience, also, it's self-perpetuating - MCs who build up a good rep for running good singarounds, get good singarounds.

Festival singarounds with programmed MCs are really a different kettle of fish from informal pub sessions. But if it's an organised singaround, it helps if the format is explained by the MC at the beginning.

It does rather depend on the venue - I'm lucky enough to run singarounds at Sidmouth and Chippenham that aren't in a pub with a serving bar.

I do, as a general principle, work round the room, but make a point of saying at the beginning that I'm aiming to ensure that anyone who was in the room at the beginning will get at least one song. Having said that, I'm also aware that some people who are keen to sing are working (eg as stewards) and just come when they can. So I generally explain beforehand where the singing is going to go, and why, and also ask people who are going to have to leave early to let me know. If there are time pressures, especially in the second half, I will suggest that singers save their Child ballads for the ballad session. I'll also check, by asking, how many singers are still waiting to sing. If I'm going to hop about (eg to get an alternation between male and female singers or between duos) I'll say so.

If a festival guest wanders in, and I reckon that I have time for them to sing and still get round the singers still waiting to sing, I will ask the festival guest to sing.

If you're in a pub where people are constantly coming and going it can be hard to keep track... it was quite good fun, in the Tap and Spile at Whitby last year when singing was determined by order of arrival and collection of a raffle ticket.

Kitty