I still see the festival as unique in many ways.
The atmosphere
The one stage plus fringes
The fact you can park next to your tent
The fact you can take food and alcohol onto the field.

I think the only evolution will be with the line ups.
Everyone is fretting about fairport not continuing due to the passing of time?

Why ever not?

Let’s face facts when we are watching fairport lots of fuss is made regards the band and line up…
I’ve grown to enjoy the band over the years having not known a single song on my first visit….
What we are watching in essence is a cross between a modern line up and a tribute act….
Let’s face facts the original members such as Martin and Judy have passed and Ashley isn’t a band member so we are only watching a tribute act….
Or are we??

I see it as an evolution and swarb , Sandy and Gerry have played and passed and left very big footprints.
Were fairport still fairport?
I think so.

Today’s line up is it fairport?
I think so.

It’s more a case of fairport evolution than fairport convention nowadays (fairport evolution , good name for an album)

It’s inevitable at some point that just like everyone else the present band members will pass and be replaced.

I see no reason at all why fairport convention won’t be headlining the festival in 20,30,50 years time.
Imo that would be a massive selling point , the continuation through the links to the past via the music being played as it has been for decades before.
No other festival could say that..,,

The festival needs
1) FC in whatever current guise headlining
2) other headliners being more relevant to a younger audience (not 20 yo but  forty plus as opposed to sixty plus)
3) nothing else changing at all.

This festival has the chance to leave a legacy for the future as well as the past and THAT is what we should all agree makes it even more special.
The chance that after every single person on the field on Saturday has passed the festival should always remain.
Meet on the ledge ALWAYS being sung.
There’s really no reason it shouldn’t in the grand scheme.

Get more fresh blood introduced to the music of fairport and carry the baton.
Just make sure the line up entices fresh blood to attend and have an introduction into what the legacy is.

Look forward to seeing everyone on the field.

I see no reason at all why fairport convention won’t be headlining the festival in 20,30,50 years time.
Imo that would be a massive selling point , the continuation through the links to the past via the music being played as it has been for decades before.
No other festival could say that..

Who is left for a reunion now of former members? Ian, Richard, Ashley, Dan maybe you could include Cathy le Surf ... anyone else still able to perform?

Sadly the days of wheeling out four or five different lineups is long gone hence the Saturday set being a rehash of the winter set with a couple of additions.

If you're going enjoy but not for me this year.

DW

It certainly can't keep on being all things to all people.

But it could a) return to what it was (an annual Reunion), but at a much reduced size to reflect the reduced stature of the band and of its audience.; or b) it could break the link with Fairport and become 'just another festival'

a) could work.  I'm not convinced by b).

I'd love to hear how.  It's a half and half thing now - it's neither wholly a Fairport Reunion for Fairport fans OR a highly desirable non attached festival in its own right. constrained as it is by it's one stage set up (and other relics from its past).  As a result, I'd contend, nobody is fully satisfied...  In the current marketplace I'm unconvinced.

but there truly is no resolution for both the band and fans of the festival either currently or historically.

I have been following this thread, despite having only attended Cropredy once. A lot of good points were made, but there truly is no resolution for both the band and fans of the festival either currently or historically.  Fwiw, these are a few random points of my own because what I see is a festival that has always been unique, and unique just no longer seems to cut it in 2024 sadly.