AIYF 2010 - That's a wrap

So here we are, at the end of August, looking back with a definite sense of satisfaction and pride. It is now 20 days since festival participants signed off with our customary grand finale, the International Variety Gala. Now that's how to end a festival! The audience practically raised the roof off His Majesty's Theatre with a standing ovation that continued for a good few minutes after the curtain fell. They were then serenaded out with uplifting tunes from Diamond Vale Government Primary Steel Ensemble. After nearly two weeks' solid work, we can definitely say: It was worth it.
By now we have stopped to catch our breath; we have recharged our batteries and we are looking forward as well as back. We have left our summer office and are back at our normal residence at Regent Quay, where we shall be based until June 2011. The postal address is:

Aberdeen International Youth Festival
Custom House
35 Regent Quay
Aberdeen
AB11 5BE

Other than the fact that we are very pleased with our efforts, it is too early to draw any definite conclusions about the success of this year's festival, with a couple of exceptions. We have had a tremendous response in feedback from almost all of our shows and have taken a keen interest in what you've got to say. We will not require any number crunching to determine that AIYF 2010 has to go down as one of the best ever in terms of quality of shows. An overwhelming 84.1% of you said that the show in question was excellent. Almost everybody else said the show was good. Clearly this was the big success of this year's festival. It is great to know how highly appreciated the events this year were and we thank everyone who took the time to tell us.
We will remember this year fondly. So much hard work was done by so many people to ensure it ran as well as it did. The list of people that deserve thanks is so long that I'd be here all night and most of tomorrow typing it all out. So we shall simply say: "Well done everyone!"
As stated above, we are looking forward as well as back. We are taking the salient information from this year and applying it to next year with a view to making AIYF 2011 even better. Constant improvement is the continuous goal. We would like to remind all that THE APPLICATION PERIOD FOR 2011 IS OPEN. That's how it is; one festival has ended so the work towards the next one has already begun. It is already on the calander: 27th July - 6th August 2011 is Festival time!