Nix the Children's/Family Aspect of the Festival

[Dwood]

My only problem with the kids' tent was that it was too small. There was never an inch of space for the lad and I. It was hot and sunny enough that I didn't want to bake the boys brain waiting for a spot to open up so we mostly hid at the tree line of the workshop stage.

The craft tent we found refuge at plenty though.

[conductorchris]

As someone mentioned, having children's programing attracts families who otherwise would not come.

The bottom line here is that there is a big dose of additional revenue added to that bottom line that otherwise wouldn't be there. Eliminating the children's tent would eliminate all that additional revenue, or at least most of it.

If that revenue is larger than the additional costs of the children's tent, then there is an economic argument for keeping it, even when children come free. (Aside from the other issues of equality and accessibility to all, including all ages).

[TyteFystedFolkie]

How about folks willing to pay an additional amount to subsidize the family tent, do so.

[TyteFystedFolkie]

[quote="sharongp524"]I think, as mentioned in other post, that you, Mr. TyteFystedFolkie, need to go start your own Folk Festival and Forum. You are everything that FRFF is not, and btw, I do not have any small children, but I love the families that bring their children and only wish I had known about FRFF when my daughter was growing up.[/quote]

You can call me "T".

[TyteFystedFolkie]

[quote="Fantine729"]


But, again, I would absolutely be willing to buy tickets for the children. We buy them airline seats when we fly -- at full adult prices -- why not festival tickets?[/quote]


THAT'S THE SPIRIT that might save FRFF.

[songster1928]

This entire thread makes me very sad.

If I wanted to attend a discussion of which people fully belong to our community and which should be excluded I would make a summer pilgrimage to the Republican National Convention. The very notion of who does belong or who does not belong at FRFF seems antithetical to the values that the festival embodies.

[sharongp524]

I couldn't agree more!

[Old Fart From Hellsdale]

All's I can say about all the negativity being slung about is that opinions will vary, just like anything in else life. I mean think about it, even the medical profession consists of many different specialties which serve different populations ...... take proctology for instance. Enough said!

[PaulC]

[horvendile]

How about offering optional day care for kids and charging for that? The problem would be vetting the volunteers and perhaps licensing. I'm have no idea what NY State law is on the subject.

[TyteFystedFolkie]

[quote="songster1928"]This entire thread makes me very sad.

If I wanted to attend a discussion of which people fully belong to our community and which should be excluded I would make a summer pilgrimage to the Republican National Convention. The very notion of who does belong or who does not belong at FRFF seems antithetical to the values that the festival embodies.[/quote]

OBVIOUSLY, you're not referring to me, as I indicated that no one didn't belong. On the contrary, I believe ALL should feel as though they belong.....but that they should pay their freight.

We ARE, after all, talking about the survival of this festival......or so I thought.

[songster1928]

I appreciate your clarification, or the change in your opinion.

Your original post, which prompted my response, called for eliminating the Family Stage, it did not call on parents to pay for children.

As a parent of a child who attends free, I would be willing to pay for my child's attendance. I think its an open question of whether charging for children would bring in more revenue or reduce revenue by keeping families away.

[TyteFystedFolkie]

[quote="songster1928"]

I think its an open question of whether charging for children would bring in more revenue or reduce revenue by keeping families away.[/quote]

And I agree that that is an open question. It would, however, be nice to know just how many entertainment budget sheckels are allocated to the family stage. Perhaps, that might provide some context to answer other similarly open questions.

['Becca]

. Presently, FRFF gets NO return on monies spent on children....and THAT should be addressed.

not sure how you could be any more wrong actually. It seems to me that the only way that FRFF and others like it (including ALL of the performers) are going to survive in the long term is to invest in the children now. We need to continue to cater to the desires and comforts of the children at FRFF so that the kids will learn to associate folk fests with happiness and comfort - thus leading them to come and spend their own money when they get older, thus continuing the patronage of these fests... eventually all of us who are currently going to the fests will die off, leaving the next generation to support FRFF and to continue to give her life... without today's investment in the kids, there is not FRFF tomorrow.

BTW - I do have children of my own, I do not bring them to FRFF because it is 'My" weekend with my best friend, but we do bring them to lots of othe events and always appreciate it when they are offered new and exciting things to try. I've seen lots and lots of happy children and FRFf and I hope to see that tradition continue. Besides, the performers must enjoy the chance to let their hair down and do it up for the kiddos too!

[boyhowdy]

How about folks willing to pay an additional amount to subsidize the family tent, do so.

Ad absurdium, then.

I have two kids, and my wife and I volunteer -- we spend more time at kids stuff than adult stuff, honestly. Three main areas for kids come to mind: mainstage amphitheater, craft tent, and kid performance tent. My parents come, too, and take the kids to events. We spend more money on food and crafts for our kids than for us. And I am one of those kids that grew up at the festival. Plus, I note that the adults USE the kid tent for a whole day of workshops on Thursday; eliminate that tent, and the adult workshops get cancelled.

Oh, and we couldn't go if it cost more for the kids. And we couldn't go if there was not a draw for the kids. So you'd lose all we give, from cash to volunteering.

So, given all that, how about adults willing to pay a premium to subsidize the adult tent(s), do so? After all, it is clear that the adults are the true drain on the festival resources, since a kidless family spends far less at the fest, and uses far more, proportionally, of the fest resources (programs, bands, staffing, late night stages, Thursday workshops, camping space, etc.).

That would, incidentally, be you, TF. I'll be here waiting for your gen'rous donation.

Without the kids, you'd be out standing in your empty field.