While the ''Folkie'' is so far attracting a bigger crowd than last year at Exhibition Park in Canberra, festival organiser Sebastian Flynn said without more government support the event remained in a precarious situation.

''We're trying to budget in a way that means we don't have to be insecure and fly by our shirt tails,'' he said.

Rising costs in licensing fees and overregulation are threatening the future of the event and organisers have asked the government for financial assistance to guarantee its future. But Mr Flynn said Canberrans had shown their support this year by attending in record numbers.

On Friday the festival recorded 600 people above 2011's attendance figure. And locals made up about 60 per cent of ticket holders.

On Good Friday about 8500 people went to the event and yesterday final figures were anticipated to be at the 11,000 mark.

''All the venues are really pumping and my sense is that we've got a considerably bigger year than last year,'' Mr Flynn said.

He said the weather had certainly encouraged people to experience the ''Folkie''.

Mr Flynn said there were still plenty of highlights left in the long weekend, including a workshop with singer Katie Noonan during the annual family day tomorrow.

He said the singer was usually too busy to offer such a service but sharing skills and encouraging participation was the whole ethos of the festival.

Easter Monday's children's program will feature renowned singer-songwriter Peter Coombe who will perform his 1980s hits, including Wash Your Face in Orange Juice, Alex and Annette Hood with their Folktales and Furrytails theatre show and Canada's Dry Bones.

Tickets are discounted to encourage families to attend.

The National Folk Festival attracts about 50,000 people each year.

The festival ends tomorrow.