It may have something to do with Dale Clark being the original organizer, with Pierson handling the event (note the Ft. Worth address in the image in your Reply #5) in 1986. I'm not saying there was anything political going on, but Pierson was the editor of that Fest Memory book.
Very true.
One thing I found very interesting in the Memory Book yesterday that I don't know if I even noticed before is the flyer for the very first DS Fest (in '83) says "The Collinsport Call, Inside The Old House, Shades of Grayson, ShadowGram, and The World of Dark Shadows Presents The Dark Shadows Festival". (The name "Dark Shadows Festival" is already indicated as trademarked and the Maplewood, NJ address is already in place.) That was the only year it was written that way. The second (in '84) and third (in '85) Fests say "The World Federation of Dark Shadows Clubs presents" on their flyers. But by the fourth Fest - the first Fest Pierson handled as Chairman - none of that is indicated - and has never again been indicated.