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14 Jan 01 - 12:37 PM (#374371) Subject: Florida Folk Festival Camping From: Troll I just got my packet for the Fla. Folk Fest. Among the various forms was the camping request form. As most of you old-timers know, the campground was radically changed last year with new bathhouses and electric and water hookups. A lot of people didn't like the changes because it separated us into definite areas inbstead of the old higgley piggley style of camping. 'Tis said that what cannot be cured must be endured. Well, heres a new thing to endure. There will be a $10.00 camping fee PER PERSON this year. That's right kids, $10.00 per person for the right to camp at the Festival. Performers, SO's, kids,whoever, will be charged ten buck apiece if they want to camp for the weekend. To me, this smacks of being asked to pay for the priviledge of playing. If we get any money at all, it's $50 for carfare (on alternate years) and that barely covers the cost of gas when you have a nine piece klezmer band. I realize that the improvments must be paid for although our taxes SHOULD take care of that. I could probably choke down a $10.00/campsite fee, but this is too much. I have sent an e-mail to Ken Crawford in Tallahassee (kcrawford@mail.dos.state.fl.us) about this matter but if a satisfactory solution cannot be reached, I will not perform this year. It will be my first miss in 32 years but you have to draw the line somewhere. If anyone has info on this matter, please post it. This is not a trend that I like to see. troll |
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16 Jan 01 - 11:52 AM (#375330) Subject: RE: BS: Florida Folk Festival Camping From: GUEST,Paul G. Troll: I have it on reasonably good authority that a re-structuring of the entry fees and the vendor charges will result in the "probable" retraction of the camping fee. Therefor...see you in White Springs. Paul |
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16 Jan 01 - 12:00 PM (#375340) Subject: RE: BS: Florida Folk Festival Camping From: Troll Paul, I talked to Ernie Williams after I posted this. He was apalled that they had sent out the packets with that info in them. He said that he had been to a meeting with the state people last week and when he brought it up, NOTHING was said about having already sent packets out. Apparently it is the Park Service that wants the money and the festival has been absorbing the cost for several years now. I am awaiting a reply to the E-mail I sent to Ken Crawford and will post that as soon as-or if- it comes. troll |
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16 Jan 01 - 12:06 PM (#375347) Subject: RE: BS: Florida Folk Festival Camping From: harpgirl ...I had a long talk about the Festival and changes which we might see in the future with Doug Gauss last Friday night. I didn't see this on the application when I read it! But I bet Paul is right. Ken is aware of the "pay to play" problem.... Unfortunately, festival changes will reflect the 25% budget cut over the next five years that Jeb is pushing as well as the privatization of certain state park functions. Just having the festival during a time when it isn't too hot will improve ticket revenues. I played music with Randy Judy this weekend in Jax, and that got me thinking about why the Suwannee Springfest is so much more successful in terms of ticket sales even though the price is high!! Lots of camping for everyone and the chance to jam all weekend with anyone in the campground is definitely a draw! And he doesn't have three hundred performers nor attempt to please every cultural group in Florida in one festival.... |
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16 Jan 01 - 12:41 PM (#375388) Subject: RE: BS: Florida Folk Festival Camping From: Troll Harpgirl, we used to have all-commers camping at FFF.In 1971 the crowds got so out of hand that they had to close the festival early. It took me two hours to get from the campground to the bridge over the Suawanee. The State wanted to cancel the festival but a group of us lobbied hard and got it changed to Labor Day for a couple of years. One day, no camping. It has progressed since then to what we have now. A change to a time when it is not so hot would be a plus. Ticket sales at the festival have always depended on the weather, NOT on what big name they have hired as a headliner. The trouble is that the state sees the numbers of attendees from the late 60's and early 70's without knowing the problems that those numbers caused. They want those numbers again because they see big bucks from ticket sales. It will never happen. The world has changed too much in the last 30 years. Those were the days of Altamont and Woodstock and they will not come again. troll |
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16 Jan 01 - 07:08 PM (#375745) Subject: RE: BS: Florida Folk Festival Camping From: Banjer Unfortunately thgis trend is not limited to just music festivals. Many CW reenactments are starting to charge anywhere from $5 to $15 per head to participate. I'm sorry, but I will NOT drag almost two thousand dollars worth of cannon and related equipment, three tents, assorted ancilary equipment, not to mention in many cases taking time off from work to participate in an event designed to make money for the host unit(s), and then have to PAY for the priviledge. Don't get me wrong, if it can be shown that the money is like a 'donation' and will be used to help those less priviliged than I, there is no problem. But just to charge for the sake of lining someone's pockets is a whole nother story! I applaud Troll for the stand taken in this matter. Perhaps if enough folks in whatever field of performance stuck together we could defeat a lot of this bunk. |