" To Kim: Nowhere did I say that the Festival did not give back to the community nor did I say that the organizers were out to gouge anyone. I did say the the Festival is realistically unaffordable for most of the community. Just a fact. Kindly don't read anything else into it. I, for one, would love to be able to afford to go to the Festival. "

" We travel from Canada to Sandpoint each summer. We have always made a point of being in Sandpoint for the Festival almost since its inception. For the last few years though, we haven't bothered buying tickets. The acts weren't anything we were interested in until this summer. Unfortunately we were severely disappointed with Poco (a train wreck on stage) but we loved Firefall and Boz Scaggs.

Today I got an email offering me season tickets for next year's festival. Perhaps I might consider this if I had some idea as to the lineup. I'm not one to buy a "pig in a poke." I guess I don't understand the hype about keeping the lineup a secret until the Lost in the '50s weekend. From a marketing point of view that is a bad idea. By the time the lineup is announced, my summer plans have been made and expenses budgeted. I may pick up a single concert or two, or perhaps none. If I knew the lineup now, chances are I'd buy season tickets. "

" I agree with "Nasty Ted" - You complainers go pick on someone your own size! People are naive to think that the festival can afford to bring Dave Matthews or the like to our small venue. We are not the gorge, but it is truly amazing who has been to our venue. They do the best they can with the budget they have and to say that Smokey Robinson, Ziggy Marley, Jonny Lang, Lyle Lovett, Wynonna, Bela Fleck or David Gray for example, is poor talent baffles me -- those top notch offerings surprised me for our little town. We've even had Mark O'Connor and Richard Stolzman play with the symphony for God's sake - that is not schlocky talent! The festival bring up and coming talent too. Who didn't love Jonatha Brooke this year, or Keller Williams, one of the best guitarists around! This festival is here to bring joy and economic impact to the area, which it has done. It also exists to provide an educational mission, and last year 100 kids who couldn't otherwise afford to got to play instruments in elementary and middle school bands for free because of the festival. The staff, crew, board, volunteers deserve our thanks, not our criticism. Festival organizers, please don't pay much attention to these folks, and please keep the music playing for the majority of us who enjoy it year after year. "

" To "Not for Me" -- one of the good things about the Festival being a non profit organization is that they aren't out to gouge or make money, just to break even and give back to the community. The Festival offers a season pass that is fully transferable for 1/2 price admission to all concerts. You don't see that kind of deal anywhere. The $5 family concert is a gift to the community and free tickets to this day are given through the food bank to our neediest families. The festival also lets you bring in your own food and beverage if you want to save money there. You don't see that anywhere either. The festival also helps so many other local non profit organizations stay afloat by offering them vendor space on festival street for hardly anything and donating tickets for fundraising events year round. I am amazed by the snarkiness of the comments for something that does so much good. I am left feeling sorry for you complainers -- because you're living with more attitude than gratitude. I cannot even count the joyful nights I've had at the Festival - way to go! "

" This festival is mainly for Sandpoint's elite. The average working person in this community can't afford a ticket. "

" I don't think we should be calling the talent as a whole, poor. I know there have been some car wrecks on stage a time or two here, but I think it would be more accurate if to say that the acts that are brought here do not match our taste in music.

I haven't been to the Festival for a couple seasons due to lack of interest in the artists that are brought in, but I appreciate the fact that Sandpoint has a festival. I do hope for it's long lasting success in the future. "

" I am a huge supporter of the Festival, and have been volunteering for many years. I too believe that they need to update the lineup a little, and make sure that they are appealing to the crowds that are going to buy the tickets - BUT you must keep in mind, that while everyone else is hurting during the rough economy, artists are NOT. They have upped their prices, and it is very expensive to book a group...The festival has to book someone that is in their price range, that is available during the time we have the Festival, that don't have incredibly needy "demands", that hopefully are touring in the area - so as to reduce the travel expenses, and many other things as well. There have been many concerts that I have loved going to...The Beach Boys, Ziggy Marley, Dierks Bentley, The Temptations, Inner Circle, Brett Dennen/Donovan Frankenreiter, Willie Nelson, Winona, Keller Williams, Bomshel, Allison Kraus, The Brian Setzer Orchestra, Peter Frampton, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Dwight Yoakam, America, Air Supply, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, David Gray, and Blues Traveler. So it isn't that they don't have any good concerts, it's just that they are spread out. The Festival tries to appeal to a large range of concertgoers. I think this year was one of the worst line-ups that they have ever had though.

Yes, I think part of the reason is that there are people on the booking committee that are old, and stuck in there ways, but there are a few at least that are working very hard to get them to open their eyes and understand that they have to appeal more to the younger generations - 'cause if all they ever see is The Festival putting on crappy shows, they will have nobody to buy their tickets in a few more years, when we are the majority.

I think there should be limits as to how long you can serve/work with the festival - in order to get new blood and new ideas, I do believe that they need to do a better job at having "dancing areas" that aren't off to the side where you can't see - they need a bigger venue so that they can have more ticket sales and book more popular artists (and less sewer smells). As with anything there is room for them to make it better. Instead of taking the time to write here, and complain - come up with some solutions - email the Festival or go visit with them to share your ideas. Maybe you found a great act on Myspace - share it with them. Anyone can complain about all the things that are wrong - but unfortunately not enough people want to take the time to come up with a solid, feasable, reasonable solution. Take the time - this is a great thing, and there is room for improvement, so lets help to improve it so that we can keep it around and make it better. "

" Thanks Festival organizers, I really enjoyed the evening at the Michelle Shocked concert. Anybody who is critical of the acts you bring in has no understanding of the industry. Best Regards for your great work and continued success. "

" Give credit where credit is due get real and get off your high horses. Dyno and her crew turned this festival around financially and ran it in the black for years. So sucessfully in fact that the organizers were compelled to give some of this surplus back into the community for education and a better venue 3 years ago before the economic downturn. So the past two years haven't been good economically for the festival? Of course not, why should they be any different than the rest of our businesses? There's nothing mysterious about this. Times are tough for everyone especially non profit organizations right now and they still came through with a wonderful season for all of us to enjoy. Bravo Festival! You have a lot of support in the community. The naysayers just say it louder. "

" Who wants to pay high prices to just sit on the grass, and hear a bunch of jabber mouths visit, when the music is being performed. I just wish the "oh so cool one's" would shut up. "

" I went to the Michelle Shocked concert with a friend and was suprised by all the "middle-of-the-road" and conservative types in line as we stood waiting in the rain. Before the concert was half over, I would estimate that half of the crowd, those folks mentioned above, got up and left. Those ticket holders must have been clueless about Shocked's political views and music, otherwise they would have never attended that show. While a little clueless, I will give these folks credit for being adventerous, and they did help by funding the show that evening. Festival does bring the acts that do summer tours around the country in C-grade venues. "Jill" and "Rae" lack any adventurousness, and simply don't understand the industry. Just remove your Sandpoint blinders and get out a bit and you'll see that these are the bands that are also playing at the Zoo, or Pier, or Chateau Ste Michelle winery in Seattle, McMennimins Edgefield in Portland, etc. To see bigger acts you will need to go to the B-grade locations like the White River Amphitheater in Auburn WA, or the Clark County Amphitheater outside of Portland. The Gorge is an A-grade venue. Sandpoint is a C-grade and can only get the type of bands we get there because the promoters can only fund or fit in these sizes of bands. It's pretty naive to be critical of the Festival. You just don't have a clue about business or this industry. If you want to see Modest Mouse, or Miley Cirus, you'll have to drive to the West Coast. You're doing a great job for Sandpoint...thanks Festival! "

" The best concert experience I have had at the Festival was last year at Ziggy Marley because it truly felt like a concert ( and I am not a huge Marley fan). I wish I could get excited about going to a show in my own town. As it is, I don't like the atmosphere that forces people to sit when the music demands dancing. By the way, I think I am the target market: mom, professional, with enough money to spend on tickets--I just don't. "

" I have been coming from Spokane to the Festival since the first year. In fact, I still have the lovely jacket from that year.
The ticket prices may be a little steep, what with the economy. For me, the best concert was Family Day, with the Spokane Youth Symphony. I would like to hear more from these very young talented musicians, not just to accompany dancers. "

" To Jill:
Hello....Lyle Lovett, Jonny Lang, Nickel Creek, Los Lonely Boys, Buddy Guy, Lou Rawls, Ziggy Marley, Smokey Robinson, Wynonna, Keb Mo, Blues Traveler, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Los Lobos, Johnny Cash, Branford Marsalis, Brett Dennen, Leftover Salmon, Martina McBride, Natalie McMaster, John Hiatt, Hal Ketchum, George Benson, Manhattan Transfer, Ronnie Milsap, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Warren Zevon, Robert Cray, BB King, Alison Krauss, David Gray, Neville Brothers, Natalie Cole, Warren Zevon, Etta James, Susan Tedeschi, Josh Ritter...just go to the Festival's site and see how much more they have given us. Your point was...? "

" The economy surely hurt fundraising and ticket sales. The Festival, like many businesses, would not be immune to this downturn. And the weather: I can't believe the bad luck with the weather (2 weeks of straight rain in August - hello?!)and how they were able to pull off the incredible season they did despite this, but I understand how people farther away didn't dare make the trek not knowing if it they would be sitting in a puddle. The article says the rainy day fund at it's high point was $300K. The Festival chose to share $110K of this with the community in '07 in the form of educational donations to local schools and improved facilities for us to enjoy the music. The remainder of the rainy day fund appears to have been used to shore up losses in 08 due to the economic downturn and in 09 due to the economy and the weather. Let's hope that this community contiunes to support an organization that has done so much good. "

" Maybe the festival employees should not trade concert tickets for lunches and favors around town. And don't tell me I'm wrong I can give names if I need to. An investigation should be launched to see where the money went. "

" Huge overhead, poor talent, poor management. It's time for a huge change in the Festival and the Management. "

" The problem with the festival is that it is run by people who only think about the music their "generation" wants to hear. It's full of (excuse the expression) old fuddy duddies. Sandpoint has a much larger proportion of younger crowd that doesn't want to listen to old hasbeens. They need to bring in younger people to work in their offices to give their ideas. I have lived here 25 years and have only been to 1 concert. It was a kids concert and it was lousy. I could have had more fun with my kids elsewhere with my time.I was rather dissappointed. If they would pay attention to what is popular they might have their sales go up. A LARGE majority of us are not interested in 70's music, classical or country and it seems thats all that is ever played there. How boring. "

" I also agree with jill. The reason I didn't attend this year was because of the high price of the tickets. The shows offered were poor. On my part it had nothing to do with the weather. I don't think the weather had much to do with it. "

" I don't think you can put the blame on the weather, the venue is getting old. I know I didn't buy season tickets this year and that was a good decision on my part. Maybe the promoters should get some kind of feedback on what acts to book. Most of the acts the last few years were pretty lame. "

" Something missing here. They had $300,000. and spent $110,000. Where did the other $200,000. go? Report leaves this out. Was it to pay for performers, or what? What were ticket sales? This is half of a story. "