Several summer festivals in the UK such as the Glastonbury Festival and the Elephant Fair in Cornwall have in recent years grown out of hand, becoming so large that they attract too many dubious customers and too much trouble both on site and with neighbours.
Possible ways for organisers to reduce the scale and to change the tone of these events include:
- Closing down for a year to allow expectations to fade;
- Advertising them to sound slightly soppy and off-putting to the hard cases; with an orientation towards children, perhaps by calling them Children's Fairs; and if necessary not letting in unaccompanied adults;
- Not advertising any big name attractions;
- Holding them the same weekends as mass festivals or events elsewhere that will draw away the rough customers;
- Admittance only (or at a reduced price) to those wearing fancy dress;
- Stalls on site to sell only products that the stallholders have made themselves;
- No cars or motorbikes on site;
- No amplified music;
- If necessary have regular small fairs, rather than big annual events.
Nicholas Saunders, top floor, 14 Neal's Yard, London WC2H 9DP (tel 071 836 9404; fax 071 379 0135).