Jood obviously hasn't been to either of the week-long festivals which follow Sidmouth i.e. Broadstairs and then Whitby. Both are as good as, if not better than, Sidmouth for participation; especially Whitby.
Both festivals also have a wealth of performances by folk artists from around the globe but with the emphasis on British artists.
Sidmouth may be Mecca but the other two are Bethlehem and Nirvana.