Many of you would be aware that we recently sent out a survey on Woodford Folk Festival and your experiences so that we can learn from the feedback. We sent out two rounds of the same survey attracting almost 4000 individual responses. We have compiled the results of the two surveys which create a portrait of last years festival and your experiences.
We know that a little over half of you had attended the most recent Woodford, and 62% will be back next year. The most common reason for missing out was either family doing other things that year, or that you couldn’t afford it.
Those of you who no longer want to attend cited the size of the festival, the cost and the heat as reasons.
The festival attracts a diverse range of age groups, with nearly equal amounts between 30 and 60 years old.
We asked season campers who camp for the week and contribute greatly to the spirit of the festival how we can make your experience more special and you answered with a resounding desire for a swimming lake, at 49.6%
The new car pass system which was created to motivate people to carpool has been deemed easy to use, but many respondents felt they shouldn’t need to pay for parking. We hear you.
We know Woodfordians come to the festival for a diverse range of reasons, when we asked you why you come to the festival, we were pleasantly surprised to hear you come to be entertained, 78% and to be part of a movement, something good at 66%.
Side note, we do hope the 0.5% who were dragged along with someone else had a good time, maybe next year they can drag someone else along?
In terms of entertainment, it seems a good 97% of respondents like our programming, but with calls for even greater diversity of choice. We also love hearing that upwards of 76% of you enjoy our talks and presentations on ideas, the environment, sociology, politics, health and science.
96% love our collaborations with visual artists to give our site that woodfordian feeling and 86.9% of you have discovered new performing artists that you love during the festival.
It seems the use of our RFID wristbands is still growing, we are working on improving this experience, with many of you raising issues with the system, but also around 33% of people who used the band, using it for 80% or more of their transactions.
We asked you to share some heart-warming Woodfordian moments, and you didn’t disappoint:
Just the general feeling of joy, friendliness, camaraderie, purpose, and intelligent alternative vibe. The Festival is the best I’ve ever been to (over several decades) and we’ll definitely be back.
I meet my wife and life partner volunteering at the festival.
My young daughter and I camped together for a week this year and stayed beside the most delightful older couple. Morning and lunchtime chats make it feels as if we were camping with family.
One particular memory that I will never forget is seeing one of the Tibetan Monks, after spotting my then 3 year old boy in his pram, light up with a big smile, move away from his work on the Sand Mandala and come and bless my child and tie a red string necklace onto him. My child was so in awe and wore that necklace until it almost disintegrated off his neck!
There is something magical about the energy of Woodford & its community. I feel fortunate to have experienced it & I am so pleased that you are very deliberate in the steps you take to nurture the culture that makes Woodford so special.
We are grateful for your time and input, and we know that by taking on board your feedback we can continue to improve the Woodfordian experience.
You can explore the two rounds of surveys in depth and at your leisure here;
Make Woodfordia Better
https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-G39NZYG9L/
Making Woodfordia Better… Again
https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-YTMQPYG9L/
