When talking about fringe events, are the above people festival ticket holders or just 'freebies' looking for a free weekend and hanging on the coat tails of the event.

We're not all freeloaders as you seem to think. I was talking about this to someone this afternoon and for both of us the concerts are not the primary attraction of a festival.

When I go to festivals, and I don't go to many, my main interest is in participatory events. It's not that I am looking for a free weekend, it's more that I want to get involved, to take part and events that cater for that, official or otherwise do tend to be free. If there is a paid event that interests me, I will pay for it and go, but I also want value for money, so I am not going to buy a season ticket for a festival when I am not going to get my money's worth. On the other hand I do feel an obligation to put something in so I will always try to find at least one event to go to that I have to pay for.