Advertised as Rothbury *Traditional Music* Festival, it would be good if there was space for some, not wall to wall Irish sessions.

It used to be known for the quality of its local performers, who not only played in the concerts but joined in the sessions. There's some notable ones you've never booked. There's quite a few not-so-notable ones who enjoy a good play, but couldn't care less about paying inflated prices to be a bum-on-a-seat at a "star-studded" (usually = not local) concert.

You have the kids competitions - very popular.
You have the adult competitions which are still popular.
You have a living tradition to draw from.
You have a village crawling with musicians looking for somewhere to play that isn't also crawling with bodhrans / inappropriate music styles for the title of the festival.

Have you tried contacting the County Music Service, the local musicians, the folk clubs (there's a difference!), the fiddle & accordion clubs.....

And to the poster who suggested the Folk Degree course, it's already being run by them to an extent, so are they solution, or in fact, problem?

Paws
(regular attendee for the last 15 years or more)