I agree Mike, and a lot of that kind of thing still goes on, and much of it is free. However it's a big step from that kind of event to a full-blown festival.

Perhaps Bradfield is the sort of event that Conrad has in mind, although it is scarcely big enough to qualify as a "festival" in my mind. For those not familiar with it, Bradfield Traditional Music Weekend is held in Mark Davies' barn and a few local pubs, and an excellent thing it is too. But even a small event like that, which meets most of Conrad's requirements, incurs costs which have to be met, and has to make a modest charge and even then relies on the generosity of Mark and his wife Joan to continue to support it. There's simply no way it could be run for free.