This is great news Greg B. I no longer work, cos I'm poor (not the other way around) so if I couldn't make it by the Monday before I know I could make it at mid week & as always the seaport could use me as it sees fit. I also have alot that I'd love to see different (if there's money of curse). Ad's going out that would hit all lovers of not only the music but of the tradition & culture in a timelier manner, along with a schedule. About hitting other aspects of the culture, example; Charlie Noble has a couple friends we stayed with on Long Island who (in the pleasant months) work as adventures & naturalist south of the horn & have rounded it no less that 60 times, they do presentations. Cable & rope (hand) splicing techniques, demos, and demo's usage of knot making. Bring in the likes of Master Rigger to do ship demos, New Bedford's not far off & it still has a strong fishing tradition bring that into play. Bring back the quality musicians & singers that are within the tradition including the singer/songwriters & not the ringers that have a few songs that could be past off as something some what related to the sea. Bring over a couple of the Viking replicas & maybe some Columbus Caravels that'll help with the housing & control the drinking. The Adventure from Gloucester may be ready by then, that crowd would love to sail her down & the dogs could all stay onboard, so that settles a few more problems, no more performing dogs, though that mutt was pretty darn good up there (see Dory mate). Do ya wanna sell some of that Live Oak, have a maritime auction? Or at least set some of that Live Oak up & have a mauling competition. Bring in about twenty whores & step up a real sailor town (see Charlie Noble. No, not for the whores). How about a sea poets corner (see Jon Campbell & spell his name right this time). How about a few authors that write about all thing sea, maybe Lin & Larry Pardey-living aboard & cruising, Linda Greenlaw-swordfishing, lobstering & ocean cooking (she's only right up the coast), Roger Abrahams-song collecting from maritime cultures, how about Jeffery Bolster-afro-american influences or Stuart Frank to do a thing on Pirates, that's all the rage now or Horace Beck- folklore of the sea that's not the rage but it's interesting & appropriate. Dingy & dory races & lifeboat & life saving demos. Have I spent enough money yet? Set up a real boarding house & house the performers there & man it with a real pimp & a crimp, the whores can earn a few extra bucks there & any hecklers can get them selves shanghaied out, the Adventure will take 'em for a few dollars more. Sell the performers CD's from a volunteer's tent & the heel with the bloke from San Diego. If there's a couple of extra c-notes floating I might know where I can get a couple of whales (it'll be PC, they're the wash up kind) but you'd have to keep that under your hat. As you can see I'd go for the whole ball of wax but the FOF may want to kick my ass 1st, I'd bleed them dry before they'd wake.

Well Greg, I for one would be more than happy to help to keep this festival ongoing but you'd have to sign a disclaimer if you're going to listen to anything that I got to say. Is it a deal? Well alright then. I'm there.

Barry