I have never been to Cropredy, but after seeing Fairport a couple of years ago in Northampton, I am really looking forward to going along to the festival. It looks a fantastic line-up. What I really want to read is top tips on how to get the best out of the festival - can anybody help out?

Your best source is the Crops 'Virgin's Guide' on the FC website: http://www.fairportconvention.com/guide.php - also maps and an 'official' guide, artist line-up, etc on the website.

This year will be my seventh Cropredy. I love everything about it - the music, the people, the atmosphere, yes - even the weather. From 1997 when it was so hot I spent half the festival sitting with my feet in the canal, to 2004 when all but one of the fields were flooded, you can always be sure of a great time. My personal highlights? Many, including a birthday dedication from Show of Hands in 2002, spending most of saturday in 2004 propping up the bar with several members of Feast of Fiddles (just a pity I needed help to walk down to the stage to watch the next band!), the opening notes of Fairport's set last year when I was as near to the front as I've ever been. Even the toilets at Cropredy are lovely!

My first Cropredy Festival was - believe it or not - in 1977! In 1977 and 1978 the festival was held on the lawn of Prescote Manor, the home of former Labour Government Minister Richard Crossman, and started around 4pm on the Saturday afternoon, ending around midnight. Three of us travelled down from Lancashire and had a great time both years. 1979 was the year that Fairport Convention disbanded, and the "Farewell" Cropredy moved to Pewit's Farm. That year there were maybe 10000 people there, considerably more than the 1500-2000 or so than could fit in at Prescote Manor! I have very happy memories of all three of those festivals. Since then, of course, Cropredy has grown beyond recognition, and is, in my view, the most enjoyable and well-organised festival that I have ever been to. The friendliness of the people, the wonderful festival site, the "approachability" of the band members (on what must surely be a very stressful weekend for them), and perhaps above all the great music makes it very special.

Just to finish off ... a few festival highlights over the years. I will leave Fairport Convention out of this, as they are always good ... the first highlight was the Richard Thompson Big Band in 1978. THEY ROCKED! They played "Tear Stained Letter" (for me probably the greatest Rock 'n Roll song of all time), Thompson playing a ridiculously wonderful guitar solo, and John Kirkpatrick, foot up on the monitor, playing his accordian like a DEMON! Then, in 2005, shaking hands with Jimmy Carl Black (formerly of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention) after a fabulous set of Zappa music by The Muffin Men. Finally the set to top them all: The Morris On Band in 2004. They played a wonderful set of electrified (electrifying ?!) Morris music. I can rarely remember such a good set. And looking round from the front of the stage back up the field, there were groups of people trying to do morris dancing! I do not mind admitting that I was crying by the end of the set. Just a few of my wonderful memories of Cropredy for you.