In reply to UKC/UKH News:
Thanks again Rob.. I can almost lift most of my reply from last year... being very similar to my experiences then: it was the equal best KMF (with last year) I've seen in my decades of attendance.
It was great to see local food and drink providers continue at basecamp. The past problems were not the festival organisers fault but it's still vital in the modern context of the festival that local is given priority.
The age profile looked almost as young as last year and was even more diverse (ditto for presenters), which was great to see. I chatted to a few people about how wonderful it would be if we could get some of the benefits of that wider contribution in the forums (UKC already do well in articles and news).... maybe consider an EDI forum to get things moving (with tighter moderation, like the beginners forum, to encourage posts....the main reasons I was given for those not posting were unwanted aggression).
My favourite events were much the same literary ones you mention and I'd add one more... Zofia Reych. I didn't get to see as many films or presentations as usual but the two climbing film sets were superb... the wide boys' M5 crack epic was hilarious, completely nuts and mindbogglingly impressive, all at the same time (....just imagine your roof hand jam tightening as an HGV drives above!) and it's lovely to see Jessie win people's choice with a human exploration of Ramshaw crack climbing. I also missed but heard really good things about the risk discussion on Sunday.
As someone who was helping staff at a stand (BMC...a big up to the superb team) it was very obvious the extra space continues to benefit the exhibitors. People could still move about despite the occasional queues to get in!
I'd make the same point I made on the cost of basecamp stands last year.... it's good that the festival still supports the fine charities (especially CAC and CAM).... but how about making one or two of the big money companies give way to say some smaller cheaper commercial stands (maybe on a lottery basis?) for organisations that do a lot for our community but lack the budget of the big players (I do miss these, especially the UKC/H Rockfax stand).
As ever, people make a festival and it was wonderful chatting to everyone, from toddlers to climbing heros, friends old and new, especially to the hundreds of volunteers. It's been great as ever to be able to help a few people in small ways in their adventurre and festival journeys.
A final point... fingers crossed that the cost of living crisis, which is already biting, doesn't close excellent businesses in the town, from b&bs to bars.
