Hi Malcolm,
Good to see that you're getting into the swing of things here on the MudCat! I'm sure that when you meet Dick Greenhaus of Camsco Music and the Digital Tradition, and Susan too, you'll click that they have been coming over to Whitby from the USA bi-annnually for the past 10 years. They're huge fans of the Festival and they always take back a good review to our musical friends in the USA and that's one of the reasons Max (Founder and Owner of the MudCat) will be coming to Whitby.

As for me, well this is my first Whitby Week although we did manage a New Year a few years back and Richard always used to go and is well known. Luckily I'm booked at Moira Furnace Folk Festival again this year which means that we will be half-way to Whitby and can come along to join the fun. We very rarely get the chance to drag the caravan 'oop North all the want from sunny Surrey (price of diesel you know), so it was an ideal opportunity for us. Our visit to Whitby has worked well with Max's very hectic itinerary during his UK Escapade and we'll be taking him down South to meet with more UK Catters.

Richard and I are regular festival-goers (we scarcely have any time at home) and we count many Festival Organisers as our good friends (Banbury, Bedworth, Folkstation, Bude, Moira etc.) and we are all very well aware of the value of the Fringe to any festival, as I'm certain you are. The MudGathers that I've organised over the past 5 years have generally been programmed into the Festivals by the Organisers and this has worked well for all concerned, bringing additional ticket sales and goodwill.

The majority of MudCatters are regular festival-goers too, usually ticket-holders, and are generally well aware of the need to respect the 'locals' and the venues. As far as I can tell, the only 'uncertainty' about MudCatters is the fact that you can't always tell who they are from their MudCat names. Just like 'geocaching' there are probably serveral of us within a mile of you at the moment. Dozens if you live in Hull *grin*

Sorry to waffle on, I'd have PM'd you if you were a Registered Member. Looking forward to meeting you at Whitby!
Hil