Barry - good luck with your CD! I hope I can receive a copy to share with my listeners. I have heard you sing and I know it will be a magnificent CD!

Eric - I agree that you in business you have to do things in order to survive, but the "problem" that I have seen with Clearwater is that they do not have a clear business plan. By trying to appeal to a wide range of audience, they suceed in pleasing no one. I would not got o Ozzfest to see shanty singing, nor would I go to the Philadelphia Folk Fest to see Madonna. Each entity has a clear vision of what they are trying to present. Clearwater seems to have lost that. The environmental message is the clear reason they do the event, but the "packaging" in recent years has left a lot to be desired.

I think it is telling when you say that 90% of the audience comes from a 20 mile radius.   While all festivals draw strongly from a local crowd, there should be reasons that will draw people from a wider range - as events such as Falcon Ridge, Old Songs and Philly do.

Another observation - the event is 4 months away.   The website does not list a single performer who will be attending. If I lived in another state and wanted to plan a vacation or weekend trip to attend a festival, I would make plans in advance. Other festivals that are happening around that time have already listed their performers and sent out press releases.   If I was interested in rock music and wanted to travel to a festival, perhaps I would have made plans to go to Bonnaroo, which happens the same weekend. If I wanted traditional music, I may have booked time to attend Old Songs, which happens the following weekend.   

The Clearwater may not be able to support a "traditional" folk fest in this day and age, but it is questionable if the current fare is going to sustain the event.   What was once a major event on the east coast has become just another gathering without a compelling reason to attend. By appearances, Clearwater has turned into a local event that does not put any emphasis on the music. The expectation is that locals will turn out, just as they would for the annual carnival that comes through town. It appears to be just another fundraiser.

Again, I do hope that they can turn things around. For the first 10 years or so, I counted the days until the Great Hudson River Revival. It was always exciting and I new I would hear something new. Now I attend sporadically. The last time I went, I left after 3 hours.