Phil,
Usually people are hanging around the bar areas outside the hospitality room, but it has not always been like that. Actually up until last year, many people would go to the hospitality room, not just to eat but to hang out. That has changed somewhat but most of the hit writers come through there. Also in many of the resturants, and bars, the writers are hanging around. They are at the other venues, there are a lot of opportunities to converse hear stories, etc. So yes, the general public, (at least writers who are interested in hanging around) actually are actually able to be around quite a bit.
Up until two years ago, the SILVER MOON, which was across the street, was the hospitality room. It was also a continuous bar, a liquor store, going on all the time, so it couldn't be closed to the general public.
Now, there may be some things that change this year, but the ability to interact with the hit writers is part of the entire thing that keeps me going back. If that changes too much, then I would be uninterested in coming back again. The ability to interact with hit writers and provide a human face on songwriting IS THE purpose for the festival. If it loses that, all of them can close down as far as I am concerned. As they are very expensive to put on, if they lose that part of them they lose the unique nature of what they are about. Then there will be no more songwriter's festivals. I can assure you that.
MAB