My 2 cents from afar. If the Monday evening sessions were a local event hosted weekly then it seems to me that they should've been invited into the festival "free of charge" as an honory musical host of the local talent thay they support all yr round. When trying to bring in the tourists & others from far away, it would behove the oginizers to include those that are the all year round attraction & not ask them to "pay up" for an inclusion to what they are already an indigious part of.
You don't set up tent next to the tribe then ask the tribe to pay to be a part of their own cultural experience.

Just my take from afar

Barry