I have only gotten "favors" when I entered a quilt in the show. They incorporated a quilted scissor holder as part of the quilt tag that gives viewers all the info on the quilt. I have never received a favor as a spectator at any show I have attended.
I have been to shows where baskets with lots of goodies were raffled off but you had to buy tickets. This same show (Empire quiltfest) also had a couple of random drawing baskets for quilt entrants where they randomly drew a winner from the first time entrants.
Applique that was a pretty disturbing story about your guild members getting up and leaving when they found out they were making the pin cushions as a give away for a guild event and they weren't getting the freebie! Wow, just wow, shocked that they were so selfish.