Cambridge (Folk Festival)

Subject: Cambridge
From: s&r
Date: 07 May 03 - 05:06 AM

Am I alone in finding the "rules" for attending Cambridge FF high handed and unfriendly? If you've not seen them, try carrying a frame tent on and off the (free) bus with three kids round your ankles...or fighting as a slighltly unfit fifty year old with arthritis but not regitered disabled...etc.

The money injected into the Cambridge area each year by the Festival is vast (1.5million?) with a high retention in the area - not to mention the long term publicity for the area from the Beeb.

It's a pity that the local council, police, fire brigade etc. don't value this and seek ways of making the visit easier not a penance for wanting to attend

Subject: RE: Cambridge
From: GUEST
Date: 07 May 03 - 05:38 AM

You could always camp at Coldham's common

Subject: RE: Cambridge
From: s&r
Date: 07 May 03 - 10:13 AM

after twenty years.....?

Coldham's Common is a different festival to us - we like the atmosphere at Cherry Hinton.

Other festivals cope with domestic problems without imposing on their customers

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: JudeL
Date: 08 May 03 - 06:09 AM

For those who (like me) hadn't seen the "new" rules here's a link

cambridge folk festival

I don't think that the organisers can have thought this one through. It's not just those who have health problems or have kids who will be affected, but everyone who has not limited their equipment (and comfort) to what they can hike with. While there are some hardy souls who appear to thrive on a tent they can barely crawl into, a roll mat, a "mummy" bag that compacts down to nothing, a torch, one change of clothing,and their tankard, I and many like me need a mountain of equipment if I'm going camping.

Bare minimum for me: My tent which I can (just about) stand up in (other people may need to duck but I'm only 5ft tall) an air bed, a pump, 3 sleeping bags ( 1 flat to insulate me from the airbed, 1 flat over the top and a 3 season "non-mummy" bag to sleep in), pillow, camping lamp, torch, a camping stove & gas, spare gas bottle (for when it runs out at the most inconvenient time) kettle, frying pan, saucepan, assorted cutlery including sharp knife & spatula, plates, dish, couple of mugs, a small camping table (mostly to hold cooker) camping stool, travel mat (so more than one person can sit without a wet bum), water bottle, enough clothes to change each day, (I know some people don't but who wants to stand downwind!), wash gear, 2 BIG towels, washing up bowl & scrubber, coldbox (to keep out ants if nothing else), and of course my tankard. The wet weather gear (apart from an umbrella)stays in car unless needed, although the thick jumper usually gets put in a corner of the tent for the 2 in the morning sessions when it may get a bit "fresh". My point... there is no way I would contemplate taking that lot on a bus. My list may differ from others as their ideas on essential is bound to be different and I no longer have to cart around all the extra stuff needed for little children but it's still not a suitable amount to carry on a bus.

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: JudeL
Date: 08 May 03 - 06:29 AM

Towersey have everyone who wants to drop stuff off on the campsite queue up in one of the fields that will later be used as a carpark, issue them with numbered "unloading" tickets and the stewards using walkie talkies to keep in touch with those at the camping gate regulate the rate at which they let them go. Only those with an unloading ticket (and their fest ticket or receipt) get let in, people without the ticket to show they queued up are directed to the field to the back of the queue to wait their turn. It does take a while for everyone to filter through but at least it's fair and it reduces the congestion. Those hardy souls who can carry eveything on their back don't need to queue and so get in quicker.

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: s&r
Date: 08 May 03 - 07:13 AM

I'm pleased I'm not alone JudeL - Ive phoned the council (..we will take note of your comments) emailed the box office, and written without a reply.

Towersey have obviously dealt with the same problem more sympathetically and creatively

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: GUEST,mink
Date: 08 May 03 - 07:29 AM

How was it done in past years then? Were you able to drive right up to your pitch, or did you have to park in a holding area & carry your stuff?

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: GUEST,Santa at work
Date: 08 May 03 - 08:36 AM

Are you restricted to a single trip on this bus? Why not pack for two (or more?) separate ferrying trips? It would be a pain but workable.

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: s&r
Date: 08 May 03 - 05:11 PM

If you were early you could drive on dump your stuff and drive off. After that you could drive into a holding area dump your stuff and drive off. There's aways some fetching and carrying, but we had an advance party that travelled through the night with a van, and dropped off the tents for most of our party (some forty punters last year)

Last year was very wet, so no driving into Cherry Hinton - Hence, some congestion. This year is an ill considered knee jerk reaction. Our party includes pensioners, people with arthritis, children and one pregnant woman.

Santa - the car park is huge with no likelihood of easy access from car/van to bus so there is going to be !. Pile A - left in the vehicle 2. Pile B waiting for the bus 3. Pile C at the bus terminus 4. Pile D at the camping spot..........a pain and unworkable I think. I keep hoping the Cambridge Jobswoths will reconsider (if they bother to read my letters and emails)

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: Ed.
Date: 08 May 03 - 05:41 PM

I've been to the Cambridge fesival 7 or 8 times over the last 14 years or so.

I've always camped at Coldham's Common because I like a bit of peace sometimes.

You say that your party includes pensioners, people with arthritis, children and one pregnant woman

With all due respect, that doesn't strike me as the best mix of people to go to Cherry Hinton with.

if you don't like the rules, don't go.

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 08 May 03 - 06:16 PM

I checked out the link to the festival website.

It looks to me like the festival has become a victim of its own success. I'm not surprised that serious new logistical issues would require some rule changes.

Won't be long before they're running it like the Philly Folk Festival. Now there's a festival with the mother of all rule books.

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: s&r
Date: 08 May 03 - 07:37 PM

the rules changed after we,d made plans......we don't like the rules - does that mean we should take it lying down - the good thing about cambridge ff for us is the cameraderie on the Cherry Hinton site.

Next year we may change our allegiance. As for the right mix for Cherry Hinton we've always felt that there was no problem; we have made friends there of all ages and levels of disability.

We like Cherry Hinton; we like the bustle and the busy=ness we like the people who meet us there - OK?.

Oh, I forgot the asthmatic ones - problem?

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: GUEST,mink
Date: 09 May 03 - 03:15 AM

Have you asked whether its possible to arrive super-early (as per above) with a van full of tents & thereby avoid the bus-problem? Perhaps they could be induced to allow early drop offs up to a certain threshold time. That would be a compromise.

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: Alio
Date: 09 May 03 - 07:42 AM

Come to Saddleworth (2 weeks earlier) - the natives are very friendly, and you can drive round the campsite on the running track.
AND it's really pretty - in the valley with the hills all round, and a river running through! Quite picturesque!!
Ali

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: s&r
Date: 09 May 03 - 10:09 AM

Thanks mink I'll try another (!) email to cambridge and try that one.

Alio - we love Saddleworth and hope to get there (Gigs and work permitting) - and it's in God's Country.....

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: LesB
Date: 09 May 03 - 04:19 PM

I,ve always thought of Cambridge as a place where a folk festival meet a rock festival. Sort of a frock festival.
Looking at the line up this year it strikes me that 'mainstream folk' looks a bit swamped this year. Are some of these festivals getting too big? My favorites are Whitby, Chester, Moor & Coast & Warwick (thats about as big as I like em). By the way s&r the grounds at Warwick are wonderful for camping.
Cheers

Les

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: s&r
Date: 09 May 03 - 08:22 PM

love Warwick too - perhaps there's something to be said for folkies running festivals not councils............

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: s&r
Date: 11 May 03 - 04:10 AM

early start no good I'm afraid - camp site will not open till 10.00 am

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: GUEST
Date: 11 May 03 - 04:51 AM

Then it sounds like the only option is to make several trips - I bet that's going to be a real pain! Best of luck. Still - once its done its done - so don't let it spoil the weekend.
Better take a good book for the queueing!

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: fiddler
Date: 11 May 03 - 04:54 AM

Aha - I Devised the Towersey Idea and refined it with a pal who works with me there - Yup It works - and that is the first feedback over the two years it has been running, glad it is good - Tell Cambridge to get in touch I'll explain how and why and perhaps they or more importantly the festival customers can benefit.

Sounds like it won't solve this years problems though!

A

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: JudeL
Date: 11 May 03 - 05:47 PM

More power to your elbow Fiddler. Might have known a catter would be involved in it somewhere! You posted that this is the first feed back you've had on the Towersey system I'm surprised you haven't had comments from the locals & the organising team, since without it that narrow lane would be absolute chaos.

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: GUEST,furtive
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 12:04 PM

Was just looking at the Cambridge website & was suddenly reminded of a long walk from carpark to campsite at Guildford a few years ago.
We were nearly expiring from trying to carry all the gear, then a nearby camper offered us the use of a bread trolley. One of those low wooden things on wheels. We loaded it up & life became liveable again. So - if you can get hold of some sort of wheeled platform trolley thing it will likely be very useful & earn you many new friends.....

Subject: RE: Cambridge (Folk Festival)
From: GUEST,DaveK
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 06:54 PM

I was able to get to Cambridge about 8 times during the last 12 years and really enjoyed each festival. I was on the Cherry Hinton site which I felt had a marvelous atmosphere. The new arrangement mentioned on the web site came as a surprise to me.

I can imagine the hassle getting the camping gear on the bus and then onto the Cherry Hinton site.I certainly could not carry everything needed for the long weekend (ie, loads of camping gear and guitar).
My memories of an all night stay in the car park still linger - we had great times arriving about 1 in the morning and meeting the regulars doing the same. One year the kind hearted security people even let us rest in their tent - to be woken by the engines starting up at about 5ish to get onto the site.
Shame it seems this will never be the same again.