Fans left out of pocket as Belgian fest goes bust

Ticket-holders for Belgium’s W-Festival have been warned they have a “nearly zero percent” chance of refunds after the event was cancelled two weeks before it was due to take place.

The 80s and 90s-themed beach festival’s ninth edition was scheduled to be held in the city of Ostend from 23-25 August, featuring acts such as Adam Ant, 2 Unlimited, Adamski, Culture Beat, Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Snap! and Tony Hadley.

But the company behind the event, Wave to Synth, says it has been forced to “throw in the towel” and has filed for bankruptcy, citing slow ticket sales, among other factors.

A statement from promoters reads: “The festival sector will become a bit quieter. After years of struggle, the last notes have been played on the W-Festival stage, as our organisation, with a heavy heart, officially will file for bankruptcy.

“The W-Festival board has taken extensive steps to keep the company running, but now, just a few weeks before the start of the festival, we are faced with the heart-wrenching decision to throw in the towel.

“The Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting restrictions have had a devastating impact on the event sector. Additionally, the W-Festival faced the bankruptcy of our ticket provider, Festicket, in 2022, and unfortunately, we are experiencing disappointing ticket sales in 2024, contrary to all forecasts. After years of dedication and efforts to adapt to the new circumstances, as well as various initiatives to mitigate the damage, it is no longer possible for the W-Festival to keep the organisation afloat.”

“It is incredibly painful to conclude this musical adventure after nine years”

Around 30,000 people attended last year’s edition but ticket sales were said to be around half that for 2024 at the time of this year’s cancellation. Day tickets cost between €79 and €94, with three-day tickets costing €219.

“It is incredibly painful to conclude this musical adventure after nine years,” adds a statement from the company’s board. “For now, our focus is on closing the bankruptcy properly.”

Trustee Petr Seymoens tells The Brussels Times that the company has “no money”, and puts the chances of compensation for “ordinary creditors” such as ticket holders at “nearly 0%”.

VRT reports that in the wake of the cancellation, a group of seven volunteers from the festival took it upon themselves to organise an alternative event over the same weekend.

Earlier this year, promoters of Switzerland’s Vibiscum Festival offered ticketholders admission to two other events as compensation after saying they were “unable to provide refunds” as a result of financial difficulties.

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