The folk festival was another huge success this year, thanks to great coordinating and planning by Coordinator Bridget Noonan, Chair Judy Stamp, and all the festival committees headed by Michelle Riggs (Beer Tent), Jeanette Pomroy (Registration), Ford Elms (Main Stage), Linda Russell (Program Guide), Rod Shea (Second Stage), Merie Windsor (Children's Activities), Anita Best, Ford Elms and Bridget Noonan (Programming), Joan Dawson (Merchandizing), Lyvonne Fulford (Finance), Steve Dawson (Transportation), and Pat Stamp (Poster and Program Design). The lineup of musicians was tremendous, the weather couldn't have been better and we had a record crowd on Sunday night. The traditional music workshop organized by Rob Brown and Michelle Brophy was a big hit and the Neil Murray Stage attracted a fine selection of talented young performers.

Several suggestions to improve the festival were made at the September 16th meeting of the Board and general members are encouraged to pass their comments onto Bridget. On the October 14th Board meeting a committee, chaired by Bridget and consisting of 3 Board members and 3 festival program members, was struck to develop recommendations for the 1999 Festival. We are aware that sound from the main stage can be a disruption to concurrent performances at other venues and we are considering several solutions including scheduling louder bands for evenings only and moving smaller stages to other areas of Bannerman Park.

SJFAC members voted in October by mailed ballot in favour of a resolution to reduce the quorum size required to conduct Board meetings. This will better ensure that business is carried out on a regular basis. Bridget and the Board are actively persuing various sources of sustained and other funding. Kirby and Company have been appointed to prepare financial statements for 1998.

At the Board's request, some stand up stalls have been removed and additional chairs and tables installed at the Blarney Stone to provide better viewing for the audience. Don Walsh has done an excellent job lining up performers for our folk night on Wednesday nights and the crowds have been generally great.