Sidmouth Folkweek

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 12:45 PM

If you can prove you are a mudcat member, not only can you 'sign in' at my trailer in the Blackmore Gardens, you can also have a lemonade at half price. Honest... half price.

Sal (my view from my little house on the hill)

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: melodeonboy
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 12:54 PM

Well, I'm about 6'3", I wear loud shirts, I play a Delicia melodeon, can often be found in the Middle Bar, Bedford, Newt, York & Faulkner etc. and I sing in a raucous voice; especially "Spotted Dick".

Come and say hello to me. If you get the wrong bloke, there's no harm done; you might make a new friend!

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: Mr Red
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 01:29 PM

well I am shy, modest and retiring but you might just see me if you look hard.

And if you look hard I may just run away!

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: Marilyn
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 02:04 PM

Chas (Fidjit) - I found the members photos but couldn't find one for you. Should it be there?

Sal (Ms Lemon) - I like the sound of the lemonade so will make a point of finding you

melodeonboy - you sound easy to spot so I'll say hello if I see you. I play melodeon too (a Saltarelle with a Welsh dragon on the front. I didn't put him there, he came with the box, but I like him so he stays. He makes me easy to pick out as there aren't too many Irish Bouebes with a green dragon on the front! I also play a small 3-row box - a Castagnari Matti so that makes me even easier to avoi... er. find!!).

Mr Red - if I promise not to look too hard will you say hello?

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: Leadfingers
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 02:55 PM

And I am the Hairy One with the hat (NOT the Cap - Thats Gerry) in the New Tavern !

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: Surreysinger
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 03:28 PM

Marilyn - Sal's lemonade is well worth searching out !!

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: The Barden of England
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 05:54 PM

And I'm the bearded, long haired ageing lout that's to be found at the 'The Bedford', also sometimes in the garden at 'The Swan' and from time to time on the patio in front of the flats at The Fort (just alond from the Bedford Lawns Car Park). You'll find a very friendly welcome there whichever one you feel like joining in with.
John Barden

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: Fidjit
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 06:05 PM

My pics are here.

There's a new blue clicky thing now that I don't much care for. so this might not work.

Chas

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: Fidjit
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 06:06 PM

try this

Chas

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: Fidjit
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 06:12 PM

here are some more

Ah I play a Saltarelle too.

Chas

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 07:07 PM

You can readily spot Melodeonboy by checking police records. He is the only person ever to be refused entry to Saudi Arabia for carrying a suspected terrorist impliment. They asked him what it was. He played it. They arrested him. That melodeon...

The details have been changed to protect the guilty...

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 07:17 PM

Is there a list of campsites somewhere? I don't necessarily want to get a season ticket...

S

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 07:24 PM

Suegorgeous

Last year I think it was possible to use the festival campsite without a festival season ticket, but not this year. Here's a link to the options where
Bubblyrat and Ms Lemon have said they'll be staying.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: Steve in Sidmouth
Date: 11 Apr 08 - 12:55 PM

There is a lot of discussion at the moment about 'rogue traders' along the Esplanade. EDDC are seeking views - maybe only from readers of the local newspaper?! However, the coverage is here for anyone interested. If EDDC charge for 'consents' it's a business opportunity for them - if you're cynical.....

The EDDC phone number is 01395 516551

previous coverage

latest article and questionnaire from EDDC

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: cujimmy
Date: 11 Apr 08 - 01:08 PM

Is Oakdown caravan park at Weston far from the town, is it walking distance.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: Dick The Box
Date: 12 Apr 08 - 06:04 AM

I did not find the traders too much of a nuisance although they often left no room for musicians to play. However, you could always accidently kick their stall over while executing a perfect hook leg or galley ;-)

Call me an old cynic about EDDC consents but I suspect that they would take the money off those who would pay then conveniently not police the rest. More money for them and nothing would change on the seafront. They could police it under existing arrangements but they don't.

More of a nuisance were the street entertainers and musicians. The ever present pan pipers drowned out everything with their amplified music. The jugglers etc milked the crowds and were hard to dislodge for official festival displays (some of them got quite aggressive when asked to move on). Sadly, the general public saw them all as part of the festival when really they were just riding on the festival's back for financial reasons.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: fiddler
Date: 15 Apr 08 - 08:42 AM

So here we are again, is Sidmouth a Fringe event or is it a Festival with a programme offering all sorts of opportunities to take part in workshops, attend concerts, spend money, drink to excess or not....

At the end of the day they both feed off each other. The atmosphere is great, the events top class.

A dedicated bunch of people plan the event and an even larger band staff the event as volunteers, as stewards, many of these never use their hard earned ticket other than for the camp site and late nite extra, spending the rest of the time at fringe events.

Lets not start splitting the festival up again it is one organic entity.

I would highly reccomend volunteering that way you get chance to look around the festival, camp etc. at no financial risk for around 4 hours work per day. Ther are many different roles.

You can argue forever about what is good folk and where roots music fits, where the fringe starts and stops and ..... but at the end of the day it is all enjoyable. I've been there (volunteering) since 1980's and I keep going back, it is different now, not better not worse different as it is different to its humble beginings in the 1950s.

I would say volunteer or buy a ticket it is a worthwhile experience. If you do I'll see you there, along with many old friends and aquaintences, some I only see at Sidmouth once a year, it is great.

Andy

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: Leadfingers
Date: 15 Apr 08 - 10:12 AM

The Festival Fringe would not be there if there wasnt a Festival in the first place ! Both are Mutually supporting in my opinion !

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: Bonecruncher
Date: 15 Apr 08 - 08:23 PM

All forms of trading should be done from the Trader's Tent only.
The pedlars and street merchants should be made to pay the Festival for their properly authorised pitch in the Traders Tent.
There aer clear signs along the promenade banning street trading and this rule should be enforced.
Either that or make them trade only during the hours of darkness.
Colyn.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: Rumncoke
Date: 15 Apr 08 - 10:00 PM

I have found that the traders and street entertainers have driven away the more casual get togethers on the esplanade during the afternoons - they are just too agressive in their take over of the area, and make it obvious that it is their pitch for making money from.

I used to enjoy being able to wander into a quiet spot and start playing, but it really isn't worth the effort so I haven't bothered for some years now.

What really took the biscuit was having someone come up and try to extract money from people standing round where I was playing.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: mattkeen
Date: 16 Apr 08 - 06:52 AM

My problem with the traders on the esplanade in the last couple of years has also been that they are selling tat and sh#te

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: GUEST,LTS pretending to work
Date: 16 Apr 08 - 07:53 AM

As opposed to the overpriced tat and sh*te sold in craft tents at many festivals up and down the country?

One year, I visited 5 festivals including one in Europe and was unlucky enough to meet up with the same overpriced t&S at 4 of them!

LTS

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 16 Apr 08 - 01:05 PM

'There is a lot of discussion at the moment about 'rogue traders' along the Esplanade....'

I think the traders really add to the atmosphere and isn't it traditional as in folk? The only thing I have been a bit bothered about, is young kids setting up on the front selling lemonade. Excellent idea and should be encouraged and it isn't competition for me at all, but I have to spend a lot of money on getting my trailer up to scratch for the Environmental Health inspectors, and rightly so. I have to gain a certificate so that I can prove I know how not to poison my customers. If someone does get contaminated by the lemonade sold on the front I might get the blame.

ok that's my 2p's worth.

See you in the Blackmore Gardens, I hope.

Sal

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folkweek
From: Acorn4
Date: 16 Apr 08 - 01:49 PM

On the question of the campsite - you can become a member of "Friends of Sidmouth" for £20 pa. This enables you to use the campsite without buying a festival ticket.