MEETING IN PROGRESS - FESTIVAL EPHEMERA

This little scrap of Folk Festival ephemera was first published on Facebook on 14th May 2011, in the run-up to Middlewich's new-style council- run festival. Here is the original description and the Facebook feedback, all of it, unsurprisingly,  from organisers of the original festival:


 Now that festival fever is upon us once more, I thought I'd preserve this little piece of festival history. In the early years of MFAB we used to pin this on the doors of the various pub and club rooms we used for meetings. After a few years, the picture came closer and closer to the reality.

• Ian Murfitt I remember many meetings like this one, the exception being the end of year financial meeting when we all stared at the floor, buttocks clenched awaiting the pronouncement of the treasurer, whilst the rest of Middlewich muttered about what we did with the vast profits.
  

  14 May at 11:27 · 
• 
  

  Stephen Dent What did we do with the vast profits? Oh, I remember now everyone in Middlewich made money except us!
  

  14 May at 12:43 ·  ·  1 person
• 
  

  Ian Murfitt Someone had a go at me last week about it. Working on that festival cost me a fortune, but Middlewich knows I was pocketing the vast profit, generated when they spent all weekend in a pub.
  

  14 May at 12:47 · 
• 
  

  Dave Roberts Yes, we were all out of pocket running that festival. I recall the auditors telling us off because we didn't even claim all the expenses due to us. I'm afraid the new organising committee will have to put up with all the insinuations now. Personally, I've always felt that anyone making such accusations without even an iota of proof can go and...er...well, you know...
  

  14 May at 13:00 ·  ·  2 people
• 
  

  Stephen Dent Yes I feel sorry for the new organisers.
  

  14 May at 13:29 · 
• 
  

  Sherry Hill-Smith heh
  
  Editor's note: The organising of a festival and, in particular, one like the Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival which was, in its day, proudly independent and one of the best folk festivals in the North-West, is an immense task, which people who have never been involved in organising such an event can't begin to understand. It's not surprising that a note of bitterness creeps in as past organisers remember the long hours and sheer hard work involved, as well as the wilful misunderstanding of their motives by those who knew not of what they spoke.
  There's a history of the Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival to be written. Now who do we know that could do that.....?
  
  
  See also:
  
  
   FESTIVAL BEGINNINGS
  
  
  

  WHO KNOWS WHERE THE TIME GOES?