Holmfirth Folk Festival

Subject: RE: Holmfirth Folk Festival
From: R. Padgett
Date: 14 Jan 06 - 05:09 AM

Income prosperity and colour to the cheeks of the Landlords??

Yep get fun and right spirit for this year ~ what about next year?


Ray

Subject: RE: Holmfirth Folk Festival
From: Ned Ludd
Date: 14 Jan 06 - 06:52 AM

Thanks Cath for running the examiner column for so long. No offence was meant by my comments.It was a job that I turned down and I for one appreciated the coverage. That's enough thead creep for now.
The question is...Have people left it too late to get a viable Holmfirth festival in place?

The General.

Subject: RE: Holmfirth Folk Festival
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Jan 06 - 07:28 AM

In reply to Ned.
Firstly no offence was taken.
And to your question, the answer is - certainly not.
Watch this space or the Huddersfield Examiner of last Wednesday and the Holme Valley Express of yesterday.

Subject: RE: Holmfirth Folk Festival
From: GUEST,paddywaddy
Date: 14 Jan 06 - 09:26 PM

refink

Subject: RE: Holmfirth Folk Festival
From: R. Padgett
Date: 15 Jan 06 - 12:13 PM

Please see new link posting regarding

Festival at Holmfirth NOW ON!!

Subject: RE: Holmfirth Folk Festival
From: panurus biarmicus
Date: 15 Jan 06 - 04:28 PM

dear soldierboy,

in all my years of kicking about at festivals i dont think i have ever witnessed a disproportionate amount of anoraks, Comedy hats, beards and even the odd poncho (before last years unnecessary revival) for sure - but anoraks no.

But I have seen an increasing aging, sober population of people who dont look too happy though and maybe a cheaper, more relaxed and pub based fest is the answer to their woes

Subject: RE: Holmfirth Folk Festival
From: GUEST,soldier boy
Date: 15 Jan 06 - 08:14 PM

Well P.B I never said there were a "disproportionate" amount of anoraks ( I struggle to even spell such a horrible long word and copied your version instead),but I do agree with you about seeing an increasingly ageing (see your spelling of this short word!), sober and sad looking people clutching their Festival programmes and sporting their season ticket holder passes around their necks.
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against concert-goers,season ticket holders or old people, indeed I too have been known to be amongst their ranks [ Thank you Cushty for reminding me about that !!] and I am no spring chicken. It's just that, horses for courses, I have now switched alliances and greatly prefer the far more less formal , less stuffy,less regimented ( this is probably treason for a Soldier Boy!),cheaper, pub based and far more fun and relaxed "fringe" side of the folk scene experience.
Folk Festivals,in my experience,are very much split between the concert goers and the fringe and infrequently do the two combine.
What I do know from the grapevine is that this years festival in Holmfirth will not try to copy previous years festivals and will be very much of the less formal variety, centered on the pubs and the Picturedrome and that camping will be back where it always belonged at the Sands Recreation Grounds within a very short walk to the village centre.
The 2006 Festival will be very much organised by local pubs,local businesses, and people in the know that can organise and incite the folk fraternity, singers, musicians and dance teams and who are willing to put their necks on the line in the hope that it will be a glorious success.
Camping will be open to everyone (no more exclusion to "Ticket holders only"!) and the major pot of income will not go to the Local Authority and its concert venues.
This is a very relaxed and welcoming village and with pubs like The Nook in the very capable hands of the lovely Sheila it can't go wrong.
Spread the word my folkie friends and put it in your diaries now ( 5-to-7 of May 2006) and let's make it very special.
NB: Because they (apparently)can't call it "Holmfirth Folk Festival" due to copyright infringements it is now going to be called " "HOLMFIRTH FESTIVAL OF FOLK" and a new thread has been opened under this title on Mudcat so you might want to switch threads now and continue this debate under the new title for this essential event. Let's hear your comments.

Subject: RE: Holmfirth Folk Festival
From: Folkiedave
Date: 16 Jan 06 - 08:29 AM

I have now switched alliances and greatly prefer the far more less formal, less stuffy,less regimented (this is probably treason for a Soldier Boy!),cheaper, pub based and far more fun and relaxed "fringe" side of the folk scene experience. Folk Festivals,in my experience,are very much split between the concert goers and the fringe and infrequently do the two combine.

I really worry about this as it seems to be an increasingly popular attitude.

I love the fringe at Festivals and always spend some time in the local pubs enjoying the atmosphere. But far from the two not combining they generally come together! Ever been to a fringe festival where there isn't a festival? And if there is a festival, where some people buy tickets, pay for camping and go to concerts then the fringe exists because of it. And not the other way around.

Once people go along with the less formal, "I don't want to pay for a season ticket and just camp and just go to the pub and have a good time" and no-one buys any tickets, then the festival wherever it is will fail. And whence the fringe then? And no more professional artists - most of whom struggle to make a living already.

Camping will be open to everyone (no more exclusion to "Ticket holders only"!

So if it is full when you get there and none of the people are even going to the fringe or the festival what are you going to do? So how do you separate those visiting Holmfirth and those going to neither the festival or the fringe?

and the major pot of income will not go to the Local Authority and its concert venues.

Holmfirth has the municipally owned Town Hall used for concerts, celidhs and the Picturedrome which is privately owned and used for concerts. You prefer the money going to a building owned privately rather than publicly (you and me - albeit at a distance). Can you explain why? And why not both?

I love Holmfirth and its festival and I am delighted it is going ahead in whatever form. But if it all you want is a bunch of people turning up to sing and play in pubs then it isn't a folk festival, it's a weekend long session.

Subject: RE: Holmfirth Folk Festival
From: Cath
Date: 18 Jan 06 - 12:24 PM

I would like to just answer Folkiedave's point about the Civic Hall (not the Town Hall) and the Picturedrome.
The concerts at the Picturedrome are promoted by, paid for and any risk of loss is stood by the owner. Indeed any profit will be his also as happens all year round. It is also a venue which is popular locally and in daily use.
The Civic Hall, in all its splendour, costs a lot of money, is not regularly used and has crap sound - ask anyone who has played there. It would be far more costly and complicated to use the Civic Hall so it is unlikely that this will happen.
Also it cannot be booked as it is still reserved by the Holmfirth Folk Festival committee, for what I don't know but until this is cancelled it cannot be offered to anyone else!
Let's hope that 2006 can cater for those who want formal concerts in the Picturedrome and informal concerts and sessions in the pubs so that everyone is happy.

Subject: RE: Holmfirth Folk Festival
From: holmfirther
Date: 18 Jan 06 - 01:59 PM

www.holmfirthfestivaloffolk.co.uk Will be ready within the week..Anyone wanting to advertise can e-mail me [peter carr] at [e-mail]...Its cheap and cheerfull a minimum advert will cost about £20.00..Please note that all monies will be going direct to the Holme Valley Bussiness Assosciation which are promoting this festival in 2006, with the help of some very busy dedicated poeple..and the good thing is were all looking forward to it

Subject: RE: Holmfirth Folk Festival
From: GUEST,Soldier boy
Date: 18 Jan 06 - 09:36 PM

Let's now switch all talk about "Holmfirth Folk Festival" to this years correct "Holmfirth Festival of Folk" ( Don't worry you will soon get used to it). This is the new thread for 2006, so let's talk. There is even a new website coming up soon for "Holmfirth Festival of Folk"(check out the new thread) Please support it and let's make it good.

Subject: RE: Holmfirth Folk Festival
From: holmfirther
Date: 19 Jan 06 - 06:32 AM

Thankyou Soldier boy..Whoever you are.!