Totally and absolutely, dancing room is wonderful when it's possible! I've been at some folk festivals, though, where there are rows of chairs set up and the chairs are filled with enthusiastic listeners (and wigglers and clappers and singalongers). At the festival this weekend, there was plenty of dancing room....the tent I was speaking of was simply a canopy over the stage, and the audience had the lawn in front. It was the same setup as for the adult workshops. The tent provided an area for the sound system, and a sun/rain cover for the musicians and their instruments.

Last year, I was at a large festival with a great reputation, down east (Canada - Maritimes). When Grammy award winners Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer performed at the children's (indoor, with lots of dancing room) stage, there were only about 3 or 4 children in the audience. It was sad.

There must be other factors in play....a good host? good advertising in the festival programme? choice of acts? placement of tent compared to the adult venues? time slots? etc.?

~b.w.