I think singing/ playing appropriate songs for the audience is one of those skills that is underated.

We were lucky at the Hop festival that on both days we had a really nice variety of songs/ tunes in the Bull session, and the performers were experienced enough to choose things that would go down well with a mixed general audience. I think most of us underestimate how little of the folk tradition the general public know, and people do like to hear familiar things as well as variety.
With the morris side I was in we used to do drunken sailor at most venues. The side got a bit bored with it but it always went down really well with the general pub audience, and most places asked us back.

The Good Intent is a different audience again - mostly people well vesed in the tradition - and I know Growler you make sure that most people who turn up and want to perform are given a chance to do so - so there is lots of variety.

Dartford has a great variety of paid performers, but less variety of floor singers. Not sure why that is as I know there are a lot of good performers in the audience who do not perform.

Horses for courses I think.
FloraG.