I'd love to have time to respond more fully to this last post (Soldier Boy), but to do so would probably take up most of the rest of my working day.

Everything you say about it is correct, with one glaring exception.   You entirely miss the point of the whole event. It is NOT a folk festival. It is called Durham Folk Party. It is not, in any way, to be compared with a folk festival. It is CERTAINLY NOT a poor excuse for a folk festival. There are no concerts, it is, overall, non profit making; it sometimes makes a loss. We made a small profit last year, and probably will have done so this year, but in 2006 and 2007 we lost money. If losses can't be bolstered by the party kitty, they have to be made good from the pockets of myself and Ian McCulloch.   

As I say in my introductory blurb to new teams, it is, in effect, a weekend of dance, but we have a host city, rather than a host dance team. At the end of the weekend, we are all, organisers and teams alike, out of pocket financially, and particularly in the case of the organisers, Ian and myself, and Burt Hunter who does the comparing, we have paid handsomely in time, as well as money for this 'privilege'. We do it for the genuine love of it, and the reason we keep doing it is because dance teams return, year after year, and tell us what a wonderful weekend they have had. I can tell you that by the end of yesterday afternoon I was finding it difficult to fight back my tears, it had just been such a lovely occasion.
   
Those who derive their pleasure from singing, and this may include some of the dancers, are pretty well catered for already. The rest of us, and I include myself in this, currently do have a problem with what to do in the evening if the ceilidh is not to our taste. The rowing club building and campsite have much to commend them, but also a major shortcoming in that the building could do with just one more room in which the dancers and their musicians could party and play in the way they currently do in the small 'marquees' belonging to Flagcrackers and Stockport Morris. So it is not ideal, and I'm keeping my eye open for a pub with good beer, and a friendly attitude to musos and dancers. Durham, for all its wonders, does seem lacking in this area on a Saturday evening.

Durham Folk Party was handed to me as a kicking, screaming baby, and I am as aware as any of you (don't forget I contribute both as a participant and an organiser) of the shortcomings. These will be addressed as best we can, given our circumstances, one way or another, and over time, but nothing's ever perfect.

Given that you say you enjoy the "festival', I can only assume that £12 and some principle is more important to you than your enjoyment. I should think the Folk Party piggy bank can afford (this year at least) to refund your money.

You know who I am, you could have talked to me face-to-face.