Another factor I've noticed this year has been the weather. Last spring and summer, all the games I attended enjoyed beautiful, dry, sunny weather. So far this year the games I've attended have been either freezing with biting winds and drizzly rain or ungodly hot and humid with periods of downpours and thunder storms. I know the economy has a lot to do with attendence (being out of work for the past 3 months has really cut down on my spending) but I definitely have heard folks mentioning how much crappy weather affects the success of a highland festival.