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December 31st, 2008
12:12 pm - Time to start planning for festivals!
Some days, I walk arm-in-arm
with a fox dressed in the clothes of a man
and carrying many hidden things |
I was thinking today of the festival circuit, and how it looks these days.
A lot of festivals have the same presenters, over and over again. I mean, how many times have you gone to a festival, looked at the schedule, and said, "Damn, that Michael J Dangler guy is presenting again? Don't they have anyone else?"
There was a real sense of pride when Oak Leaves published several issues without anything written or submitted by me (except a filk I didn't write). . . It was good to see the mag run on its own, without me writing articles or editing the pages on the back-end, a sort of feeling that all the work I did for that rag was worth it in the long run.
I have begun to wonder if the festivals wouldn't be the same way: what would happen if I went a year without presenting at a festival, but just went to the festivals as a participant and hung out?
I already mostly hang out at certain festivals: Wellspring rarely sees me give a presentation, and Summerland hasn't seen a presentation of mine in a few years. But then, at other festivals I have presented nearly every year: Trillium, Desert Magic, and Midnight Flame (where I, along with Skip and  druidkirk, was once the entire program).
I do not mind paying to get in to festivals, so the main perk of presenting (free festival admission) isn't so vital to me as it might be for others. Indeed, as a presenter I've paid where I could, and I've never made festival admission a requirement for giving a workshop. When cash has been tight (as it often is), I've occasionally really wished that a festival would pay my way for a workshop, but I've never made a big stink about it.
The kicker to all of this is that I would really, really like to see new people given a chance to give presentations, and to see people who haven't presented in years come back and give presentations on new material. While I am always happy to fill a spot on a program (or, as has happened in the past, headline a festival bill), I really want to see opportunities go to more ADF members, even if it means I get to hear myself speak less (tragic, I know).
Maybe this is the year to do that. Maybe I just need to hang out and be there for other members of ADF: the ones who need a presentation slot in order to attend a festival, the ones who have great ideas that need to be heard, or the ones that are just tired of hearing me ramble on about things.
My festival schedule is currently: Trillium, Desert Magic, Wellspring, Summerland, and Midnight Flame. I hope to sit in the audience at as many of those as I can manage. I'll hang onto some materials and have a presentation ready to go, but I'll offer to present only as a back-up in case they can't fill their schedule or someone doesn't show, rather than snatching a good slot early-on.
I wonder if I can manage to get to a few more festivals, as well? As the Buffett Oracle sang to me this morning, "Only time will tell."
Current Location: Southeast of Disorder
Current Mood: working
Current Music: "Richard Frost", -JB
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It's one of the problematic ones: the timing doesn't work out well in my job, but it's highest on my list to "get to if I can." I hope to get to see you on a festival one day, it´s just a question of money or getting my ass at somebody else´s cost over the big blue :) Well, just let me know when the festival in the Czech Republic is, and I'll see what I can do. ;)
Don't worry, we'll work something out. Persons across oceans are often higher on my list of "people in ADF I want to meet" based on geography, but you're up there based on the fact that I like you as well, so bonus points! Yay :) It's a good time, though it can get rather chilly. Bring a good tent and some solid socks.
Seriously, it's a great time. | From: | sans_mal |
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| Date: | December 31st, 2008 06:27 pm (UTC) |
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I was just mentioning that we need to get to at least a couple this year. Being in Pa. I am looking at Oh and Va for the most likely choices. And we want to go to a non-adf event at Four Quarters Farm this year as well.
I am hoping that at one of these I will get to finally meet you and several others.
And even if your not lecturing, I am sure we can strike up conversation on some interesting topics. Well, if you go to the events in OH and VA, you'll see me at one of 'em. :) I'd like to get to 4QF sometime, but have never made it there. I'm full-up on ADF festivals, generally speaking.
Remember: my LJ-retention rate is very low (around 10%) and introducing yourself with an LJ name will help me place a face to the person on the f-list :) You're a good draw (I am, as well, but to a lesser extent), as well as a "real" leader in ADF, so you should continue to present. The thing that makes me think I should still present is that I'm Clergy, and our Clergy need to do something, whether it be writing or doing rituals and outreach or presenting at ADF festivals. But as we wrap up CTP work, I'm looking forward to a short break, at least, from the work I've been doing.
They may not be laurels, but the CTP Circle Guides are looking like a mighty comfortable resting place until about Samhain. I'm greatly looking forward to zero marathon sessions of CTP brainstorming and requirement hammering-out this festival season.
I feel somewhat bad about not always being able to pay (and it's gotten worse in the most recent memory, of course, with DMF being one of the hardest to pay for, though I brought a warm body who paid her way this last year, to help), but I do my best to add value while I'm there if it's possible. But yes, the money always goes to a good cause, and so no matter the charge, I hope to make it. ![[User Picture]](https://l-userpic.livejournal.com/70299758/2735431) | | From: | kargach |
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| Date: | January 1st, 2009 07:27 pm (UTC) |
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The real question for me is whether this is the first year since 2002 that I can actually attend any festival. >8) I do plan to make an extra effort to get to Wellspring this year, but barring a new job between now and then, it's still a long shot.
I used to be on staff for some of the local SF/gaming conventions in this area, and I still remember the first few that I attended after I stopped running them. It was quite a shock to the system. "What do you mean, I can attend anything I want to for the next four hours? I can't have that much time to myself..." I know how the festival crunch can be, trying to figure out which ones you can make and which ones you can't. I've been really fortunate since about 2003 to attend a variety of festivals each year. Of course, having few family commitments and working hard to budget the cash has been the biggest help: my vacation has always been primarily used by ADF festivals, after all.
I do hope that we get to spend some time sitting around a fire at a festival chatting sometime, rather than getting to meet each other on very quick trips as the result of losing a bet on a football game that has been. . . somewhat one-sided recently (thus me not even bothering to ask this year: it's getting embarrassing). | | From: | kargach |
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| Date: | January 2nd, 2009 07:49 pm (UTC) |
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as the result of losing a bet on a football game that has been. . . somewhat one-sided recently (thus me not even bothering to ask this year: it's getting embarrassing).
After a loss to a Division i-AA school and then a 3 and 9 season, losing to Ohio State doesn't even register as embarrassing now. >8)
Get us the dates as soon as they're firm, and let romandruid know, too: she's been looking for a summer festival! She's also a wonderful presenter! |
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