21 UK festivals have now been cancelled, postponed or scrapped – with 100 at permanent risk without action

It has been revealed that 21 UK festivals have now been cancelled, postponed or scrapped – with 100 at permanent risk without action.

As reported by The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), they shared “The timing of this milestone suggests that the number of festival cancellations this year will far outstrip 2023, when a total 36 festivals cancelled before they were due to take place.”

Their statement continued: “Without intervention, it’s expected that the UK could see over 100 festivals disappear in 2024 due to rising costs. Without having had a single steady season since the pandemic in which to recover, the country’s festivals are under more financial strain than ever.”

Last month, the AIF launched a campaign – The 5% For Festivals – which aimed for a VAT reduction on festival tickets that would save many event promoters from closure. The lowering of the VAT from 20 per cent to five per cent on ticket sales for the next three years would be able to  give festival promoters the space they need to rebuild.

AIF CEO John Rostron said in a press release: “It’s with grave concern that we again sound the alarm to Government upon passing this critical milestone. UK festivals are disappearing at a worrying rate, and we as a nation are witnessing the erosion of one of our most successful and unique cultural industry sectors.”

He continued: “We have done the research: a reduction of VAT to 5% on festival tickets over the next three years is a conservative, targeted and temporary measure that would save almost all of the festival businesses that are likely to fall by the wayside this year and many more over the years to come. We need this intervention now.”

Back in December, Herefordshire’s Nozstock Hidden Valley announce that 2024 would be their final incarnation after 26 years due to “soaring costs” and financial risk”, while the fan favourite Shepton Mallet skating and music festival NASS announced that they wouldn’t be putting on an event this summer either as it was “just not economically feasible to continue”.

Elsewhere, rising costs also cancelled Dumfries’ Doonhame Festival for 2024, Bluedot announced a year off for the land to “desperately” recover after being struck by heavy rain and cancellations last summer, Nottingham’s Splendour has been canned for this year due to planning delays from a financially-struggling city council, and Barn On The Farm shared that it would be taking a fallow year due to financial constraints.