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"We made this decision based on a site-specific weather forecast provided by the Met Office and following consultation with partners"
By James Hanley on 19 Jul 2023
Kaleidoscope Festival
image © Lloyd Winters
High winds led to the last-minute cancellation of Alexandra Palace’s Kaleidoscope Festival.
The one-day event debuted in 2018, becoming the first ever festival to be held in the grounds of the North London venue.
The fourth annual event was due to to take place last Saturday (15 July), headlined by Hot Chip, having expanded its capacity from 10,000 to 11,000, but was called off at short notice following discussions with partners.
“We are devastated to announce that due to the Met Office’s Yellow Warning and the significant safety risks the forecasted high winds pose on Saturday 15 July, we have no choice but to cancel Kaleidoscope Festival,” says a statement from organisers.
“Our huge apologies go to all our ticket holders, we can assure you that we have explored every alternative option before making this extremely difficult decision. We are contacting ticket holders directly with details regarding refunds and other ticketing options.
“We made this decision based on a site-specific weather forecast provided by the Met Office and following consultation with partners”
“We made this decision based on a site-specific weather forecast provided by the Met Office and following consultation with partners, including the local authority, health and safety advisors, structural engineers and the emergency services. Ultimately, people’s safety has to be the priority.”
Other artists due to perform included Gaz Coombes, George Fitzgerald, Elvana, Girls of the Internet and Anthony Szmierek.
“To be unable to go ahead is heartbreaking,” adds the statement. “Our thanks go to everyone who supports Kaleidoscope, from fans and artists, to production teams and our local community.”
Hozier and Ben Howard will both play outdoor headline shows at Alexandra Palace Park this weekend as part of the venue’s Summer Series, with James Blake, Norman Jay MBE, The Prodigy and The Streets set for indoor concerts later this year.
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