Sidmouth is unique.
Because its unique its well loved
you may hate this or hate that but it is because those things (that you hate) are there that the things you like can also be found. Once you eliminate one thing that essential element that makes the festival unique is lost.

I often wonder why certain places are not better used like the existing ad established stage or band stand in the connaught gardens. I guess the gardners have objections or the coach trippers that arrive during sidmouth week do need to get away from the hub hub of the festival. so there reasons for everything.

Personally it is the sea front atmosphere of Saturday and Sunday (+ the rest of the week) that has kept me coming back for over twenty years - the sharing forum for what all of us do naturally (sing dance and make friends)
But once over that - once you have been up and down a few times then its up and down in the arena to buy that new songbook. Then breakfast in the sailing club before I go to the Ham and gloat over those cds and then, perhaps a fiddle or plonk on a strange guitar is my heaven. Often To the detriment of my pocket and the addition of an occasional new instrument because eventually you find something you just cant do without.

Sod the artists and performers they are not the reason we go to Sidmouth - we go for the character of the place - that ethereal change from sleepy seaside town to a vibrant colourful place.
BUT and bigger BUT without alll those artists and performers both amatur and learning as well as professional, what reason would Sidmouth have to exist at all. So a big HUG to everyone who regularly come to sidmouth totreat us to your talents.

Though Cambridge and others are a stage for such performances Large and small - It is the pure diversity of Sidmouth spread out throughout a living town that makes the week a fresh discovery and adventure each year.

To define this quality comes down to encouraging the 6-12 year olds by listening to them play there recorders and violins on the seafront and then giving them lots to do at Blackmore gardens and in the arena and at workshops. Thats the strength of Sidmouth - dippping into events as your muse takes you. How many of you rememember child hood experiances in such a way.

What do I hate - perhaps to much focus on the international events I only can see 5-10% iof what is on offer anyway and Tibet or China is as good and interesting as Spain and Portugal - so quality not quantity.
I only like my type of folk singing but always can I find something on offer to make want to book or buy tickets.
Not being able to dip into spoon rattling and vocal workshops because I havent got a season ticket,is annoying. I used to be able to do these things but the event instructors are naturally fed up as they lack continuity during the week!!!.

Thees a lot of us out there who enjoy doing things but can only get there in the evenings or for three days of the week which means we cant justify a season ticket and are excluded from the real NON TICKET Unbookable events that help   make sidmouth uniuqe. So perhaps a ticket that can be dedicated to any nominated non consecutive days performanceswhether this id two - three or five days and allows you to enter all events etc. Or is such a pre bookable item in todays computer world to difficult to arrange.

Sorry Chaps If Ive said too much thats still lots more in my heart
Well done all those over the years who have worked so hard - without complainers there would no reason to exist.
Sidmouth works - don't tweak it too much - Weather is not often the problem that week so lets strive for a kitty where the good years pays for the bad. Emptying the cash box at the end of the year is not a good thing.
Theres no fence around the town so we cant charge every visitor for entry - Or perhaps a tax on all cars coming in is the answer. But wet wheather is the problem. A kitty of say 1-200K replaced by a percentage of ticket sales each year would at least guarantee some form of continuity wet or shine.
Ham Marquee is great another tent over the stage at Connought gardens a possibility for another indoor space. Explore a seated outdoor venue on the large parkland field beside the main entrance road that crosses River Sid a possibility.