Conrad, I can only assume the festivals you go to are very different from the ones most of the rest of us (on both sides of the Pond) attend.

The majority of festivals here are run by volunteers on a not-for-profit basis. Any surplus they make is usually re-invested in the following year's festival. With the exception of the headline acts, the fees they pay to performers are often not that generous - often less than the act could charge for an individual event - although they often provide accommodation as well.

No one I know is getting rich from folk festivals. A few people, including some performers and a few full-time organisers, make a living.

If you don't believe that people should make a living from folk music, then the answer is simple - don't pay to see them. Just don't then complain about it. However most people value what the professionals have to offer, and are willing, indeed happy, to pay. Festivals, and especially those with a substantial budget, provide an opportunity to see far more top-quality performers in a short space of time than would otherwise be possible.