UK festival cancellations reach 50: The full list

The number of UK festivals to have announced a postponement, cancellation or complete closure in 2024 has now reached 50.

Northwich’s Geronimo children’s festival, scheduled for 23-26 August at Arley Hall, Cheshire, has become the latest casualty over the past few days, as the crisis affecting the sector deepens.

“The great British weather is not always kind and with a huge percentage of festival-goers holding off booking until the last week, the event has become an unsustainable financial risk,” say organisers.

Other fresh cancellations include Chelmsford’s ZENfest and Hertfordshire’s Starry Village, while Wrexham’s Another World Music Festival and South Yorkshire’s Askern Music Festival have been postponed to 2025 due to licensing issues. London’s 51st festival has also called off its 2024 gathering, citing “the cost of living crisis, a significant increase in operational costs and operational issues”.

In addition, Oxfordshire’s family-oriented Beacon Festival held its final event from 21-22 June and Underneath the Stars’ 10-year celebration in Barnsley between 2-4 August will be its last edition “for now”.

“This is the most challenging time for independent festivals who desperately need an intervention from the incoming government”

“This is a regrettable landmark for the UK’s festival sector,” says Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) CEO John Rostron. “This is the most challenging time for independent festivals who desperately need an intervention from the incoming government before more events inevitably fall.”

Without intervention, AIF predicts the UK will see over 100 festivals disappear in 2024 due to the pressures of unpredictable and rising costs.

Earlier this year, the trade association launched the Five Percent For Festivals campaign to encourage festivalgoers to contact their MPs to lobby for a VAT reduction on tickets. AIF states that a reduced VAT from 20% to 5% on ticket sales for the next three years will give festival promoters the space they need to rebuild.

“Our research suggests around 100 festivals will throw in the towel before the year is out, and more will go into 2025 at risk if there is not the temporary fiscal support they need,” adds Rostron.

The full list of 50 festivals also comprises:

• Towersey Festival
• Twisted Festival
• Bingley Challenge Festival
• El Dorado
• Welliestock
• Visions Festival
• Riverside Festival
• We Are Fstvl
• Heartwood Festival
• ND Festival
• Meadowfest
• Penn Fest
• Illusive Festival
• Clun Green Man
• Askambury Festival
• Shindig
• Tunes On The Bay Festival
• Lowedefest
• Neighbourhood Weekender
• Camp Quirky
• Doonhame
• Splendour
• Love Fit
• Hayloft Live
• Ampthill
• Connect
• 110 Above
• Standon Calling
• Spring Classic
• Smoked and Uncut
• Takedown Festival
• Detonate Festival
• Togfest
• Nibley
• Bingley Festival
• Escape Into The Park
• NASS Festival
• Field Maneuvers
• Nozstock: The Hidden Valley
• Bluedot Festival
• Leopallooza
• Barn On The Farm

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