60 UK festivals now cancelled in 2024

The number of UK festivals to have announced a postponement, cancellation or complete closure in 2024 has reached 60.

Basingstoke’s Cosmic Roots Festival and Gloucester’s Witcombe Festival have become the latest casualties, while Cambridgeshire’s Secret Garden Party recently announced this year’s edition was its last “in its current form” – burning its main stage at the end of its July weekend as a symbol of the challenges facing independent festivals.

Organisers of Cosmic Roots, which was scheduled for 5-8 September, put the decision to cancel down to “unpredictable ticket sales and a rise in production costs”.

“The pressure on our independently funded festival is simply too great,” says a statement. “2024 has been a tough year for the festival industry, with challenges that none of us saw coming. The shifting landscape has been incredibly difficult to navigate, and despite our best efforts, it’s left us unable to move forward with the festival this year… The reality of the situation made it impossible to continue as planned.”

Elsewhere, Witcombe Festival, which was due to run over the August Bank Holiday weekend, blamed the cost of living crisis for “significantly” impacting ticket sales and planning.

“Despite our best efforts and creativity, including plans to reduce capacity and the size of the festival site, these have not been possible due to strict licensing conditions,” says a statement. “We have always prided ourselves on delivering an unforgettable experience for our festivalgoers, and we believe that cancelling the event is the most responsible course of action to ensure we can return stronger in the future.

“We hope that the new Labour government will take swift action to save many successful festival businesses that are facing this existential threat”

“We are committed to returning with an even more spectacular event, and we look forward to celebrating with you all once the situation stabilises.”

The festivals join dozens of losses from this year’s calendar including NASS Festival, Bradford’s Challenge Festival, El Dorado, Pennfest, Connect Music Festival, 110 Above Festival, Leopollooza, Long Division, Bluedot and Barn On The Farm, with the majority of organisers blaming significant increases in operational costs.

According to the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), it is expected that the UK will see over 100 festivals disappear without intervention. In February, AIF launched a campaign asking for a temporary VAT reduction from 20% to 5% on festival tickets that it says would save many event promoters from closure.

The trade body is now resuming its push following the election of the new government.

“The number of festivals forced to cancel, postpone or shut down entirely in 2024, largely because of unpredictable costs and a credit crunch within the sector, shows no signs of slowing,” says AIF CEO John Rostron. “The urgent need for government intervention through a temporary reduction in VAT on ticket sales to 5% remains.

“We hope that the new Labour government will take swift action to save many successful festival businesses that are facing this existential threat.”

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