Peculiar, if you ask me. If the "folk" that qualifies is really that broad, the other award results are awfully biased...

You might prefer the Sidmouth Esplanade Gridlock Awards

Bands self-nominate for this competition by busking on the sea front at Sidmouth Folk Week.
The winner is the one that attracts most passers by to stop and listen resulting in gridlock

It works best if the bands don't even realise the award exists. The audience don't know either. They have just been drawn in by the music. They don't even know the name of the artiste(s) The great and the good are elsewhere.