I go to hear songs and tunes that would otherwise pass me by 'cause I don't keep company with a wide variety of musicians. I go to natter with friends and strike up conversations with total strangers. I go to "change my ideas" as we say in French -- there's nowhere farther away from National Defence Headquarters than any folk festival.

Do I need any other reasons?

I get tired early, so I tend not to do the late-night singarounds any more. Edmund loves them, though, and consequently a festival with good singarounds is worthwhile even if there isn't a single main-stage act that appeals to me.