Fallen Festivals

At least 96 festivals fell during the pandemic.

36 fell in 2023.

78 fell in 2024

43 fell in 2025

25 have fallen so far in 2026.

We try and track all cancellations, postponements or those calling time on their event as part of our work monitoring the health of the music festival ecosystem. If we have missed one or there’s an error please contact us and let us know.

2026

Splendour - announces 2026 event will be its end due to pressures on independent operators Linton Festival - calls time at close of its 25th event. Costs and pressures of delivering event means it's not able to raise funds for charities. Back Of House Festival - postpones until 2027 due to ticket sales and financial pressures. Immunity Festival - postpones to 2027 after venue issues Wrde Up Festival - announces it will pause after 2026 edition Country on the Eye festival - cancelled due to poor ticket sales Womad Glasgow - cancelled due to low ticket sales Streets Eats Beats - taking fallow year to reasses event ReyFest -cancelled due to poor ticket sales Hush Festival - cancelled due to poor ticket sales and rising production costs. May try to put on a micro event on some of the dates instead. Where It All Began - postponed to 2027 due to various production and cost issues Red Rooster Festival cancelled and comes to an end. "Due to a combination of reduced ticket sales, rising operational costs and ongoing financial pressures, it has not been possible to secure the funding required to deliver this year’s event. These pressures have been compounded by the increasingly challenging environment for independent festivals, including inflation, higher fuel and transport costs, supply chain pressures and the impact of cost-of-living challenges on audiences. Black Isle Calling - fallow year in 2026, hopes to return 2027 Lochaber Live - fallow year in 2026, hopes to return 2027 Paisley Alive Festival cancelled due to poor sales Fun For Life Festival Glasgow - cancelled. Boundary Festival - cancels event and calls time after ten years. No reason given. Show of Hands - postpones until 2027. Godiva Festival - announces it is taking a fallow year. Pausing this year’s event will allow time for a full review to ensure the festival can be delivered sustainably and in a way that remains affordable for our residents. Under The Drum - announces it will take a fallow year this year. Hopes to return in 2027 Above Below - after taking a fallow year in 2025 the festival announces it is pausing indefinitely Wide Awake - will take a fallow year in 2026 Electric Bay Festival announces it will take fallow year 'we couldn't secure the headliners needed to make the festival everything we wanted to be" Solfest - After more than 20 years as one of the UK’s most established family festivals, the organisers of Solfest have taken the difficult decision to place the company into liquidation. Nibbly Festival - confirms it will not return. 2025

Black Deer In The City - festival cancelled due to poor sales. Cheltenham Tribute Festival - cancelled by promoters due to late submission of license application. Holbeach Music & Beer Festival - cancelling due to financial pressures. Live From The Yard - cancelled for second year running due to rising costs and ticket sales IMEP Accrington - cancelled due to poor ticket sales' Down At The Abbey - postpones 2025 edition hoping to return in 2026 Homestead - new festival announces cancellation. Fieldview - cancels 2025 event. Does not look like it will return. Kubix - cancelled as promoter Wannasee goes bust Monument - cancelled as promoter Wannasee goes bust Wannasee Penrith - cancelled as promoter Wannasee goes bust Wannasee South - cancelled as promoter Wannasee goes bust Jukebox Sunderland - cancelled as promoter Wannasee goes bust Jukebox Bingley - cancelled as promoter Wannasee goes bust Stone Valley Midlands - cancelled as promoter Wannasee goes bust Stone Valley North - cancelled as promoter Wannasee goes bust Weyfest is not happening in 2025. Future of festival now in doubt. WestworldFest - announces losses from 2025 postponement coupled with increasing financial pressure on festivals means the 2026 event will not go ahead and festival is finished. Peterborough On The Green - New Festival cancelled 10 days before the event due to poor ticket sales. Stone Valley South - announces postponement until 2026 just one week from event due to finanical challenges of putting on the festival. Portals Festival - announces this event will be the last in its current form. "The financial risk of putting on an event of this size has bught us to the point where the festival is not financially viable in its current form" Moor & Coast - due to technical and logistical problems the Whitby Spring Session is cancelled. Little Lindi - No event in 2025 after challenges with site. Hope to find a new site and return in 2026. Killin Festival - Festival postponed. "The past 12 months have been a challenge for our small, passionate team. Without the spare voluntary time to lay the proper groundwork, if we blindly went ahead now we’d risk delivering something that doesn’t meet the high standards we always strive for." Tunes On The Sands Postponed until 2026 'Due to factors beyond our control' Beam Me Up Festival - Festival Cancelled - "we are at the point where the team behind these events have careers and responsibilities that require our focus and we just can't devote the time necessary to make these events as good as they need to be. Booze & Blues Festival - Cancelled for 2025. No reason given. Noisily Festival - Cancelled without notice. No reason given. Roadhouse Festival Festival Cancels 2025 edition and will not return. Wilkswood Reggae Festival - festival will not return as company is placed into voluntary liquidation. Let's Rock Exeter 2025 edition cancelled and ticket holders refunded. Medicine Festival Taking a fallow year to give the team a break. Will be back in 2026 Yaxley Festival Festival Cancelled "Due to a reduction in our core team of organisers, we are unable to deliver the event to the standard our community deserves." Monmouth Rising - Debut Festival Cancelled. "Several factors, including the inability to use the showground, have prompted a complete re-evaluation of the event" Global Rhythm Festival "Due to increased financial pressures on the events industry, the Global Rhythm organisers have made the tough decision to cancel this year’s event. Last year over 11,000 people attended and we enjoyed 3 amazing stages and a workshop tent in our 14th year." Holt Festival "The financial climate is unstable, prices are continuing to rise although our income is nowhere near pre-pandemic levels and the cost of producing the festival, as we would all like it to be, is now untenable. (We have) taken the very difficult decision to cancel Holt Festival 2025 to take time out in order to regroup and reset" St Neots Festival "Organising a music festival on this scale with a team of volunteers takes an enormous amount of time and resources. We've decided to take a year off to recover so there won't be a festival in 2025." Petersfield Festivals - three annual festivals put on pause. "After having to cancel the Christmas Festival last minute due to the storm in December we realised, amongst other things, just how dependent we are on the unpredictable weather and how at a moments notice, our weeks and weeks of planning could be wiped out. This then combines with a huge strain put on the finances and our wellbeing yet again." Rochdale Feel Good Festival 'Will not go ahead in 2025 but will return in 2026' Party In The Park (Adderbury) - Cancelled as "it is no longer financially viable" Lancaster Music Festival - Festival put on hold 'time feels right to put the brakes on for a bit (as we) face more challenges and hurdles every year' Cambridge Folk festival - Has been running since 1965, but cancels event for 2025. Says it will return in 2026 Africa Oyé - no event in 2025. Organisers promise to return in 2026. Cite rising costs of 30% despite record attendance in 2024.

2024

Strawberry Fair - will take a fallow year in 2025 'due to rapidly increasing costs in recent years, which have not been matched by increased income, leaving The Fair running an unsustainable defecit' Live In Somerset - will 'take a break' in 2025 due to 'ongoing costs' Balter Festival - announced 2025 will be its last "We've faced the same challenges as many events since 2020, overcoming significant difficulties to keep the festival alive. Now we are in the position where with one more big year, we can wrap things up on a positive note and give Balter the send-off it deserves." The Cambridge Club Festival - announces it will not take place in 2025. Sundown Festival - cancels event for 2025 "The rising costs of production, along with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, have significantly impacted Sundown's future, as they have many other festivals in recent years." Black Deer - postpones for 2025 due to rising production costs, unpredictable ticket sales and increasingly difficult landscape. Readipop - announces it's taking a fallow year in 2025 having 'struggled with rising costs and other challenges that occured post-covid' Womad - announces its moving site for 2026. No event in 2025. Dance Around The World Festival. Losing venue. Team cannot continue. Tenterden Folk Festival - This 31 year old festival annoucne is will no longer continue. A combination of reasons - succession planning; costs; and complexities of running the event mean the Trustees would like to bow out whilst the event is at a high. Pine Fest - Planned new festival cancelled 'due to reasons beyond our control' Highest Point - will be no event in 2025 "with rising costs – including significant fees for artists – it has become increasingly difficult to sustain an event of this scale in Williamson Park. Unfortunately, it’s not feasible to continue losing money year after year without reassessing our approach." Timber Festival - announced 2024 edition was its last. "Rising production costs, coupled with the cost of living crisis, have made it increasingly difficult to sustain the festival financially in the long term." Just So Festival -- will take fallow year in 2025 Save The Rave and Look A Like Festivals - both refused licence due to safety concerns Headland Festival - cancelled one month prior to event. Cites lack of revenue and funding as reasons to cancel. Cleckheaton Folk Festival - announced its 2024 edition would be its last Camp Bestival Shropshire - scraps plans for a 2025 event. No reason given. Wannasee Festival - cancelled ahead of build due to poor ground conditions Cosmic Roots Festival - cancelled two weeks prior 'Due to unpredicatable ticket sales and a rise in production costs' ValleyFest - announces it will take a fallow year in 2025 Witcombe Festival - festival cancelled three weeks before event due to cost of living crisis impacting ticket sales and planning. Secret Garden Party. Announce 2024 event will be it last as their festival weekend approaches, burning their main stage as a symbol of the challenges facing independent festivals. Inglefest. No event in 2024. Running a crowdfunder to try and improve chances of returning in 2025. Planet Love - Event will not take place "due to circumstances beyond our control" Down At The Abbey postponed until 2025 "Proceeding with the event this year would carry too much risk and would most likely be the end of Down at the Abbey, Heavy Pop, and our sister festival event, Are You Listening?" The Summer Solstice Festival - licenced refused in days prior to event after residents hearing Keep It Real Folk Festival - festival cancelled. Reason unknown, appears to be a licensing rejection. Geronimo Festival - cancelled with two months to go. "The event has become an unsustainable financial risk." Zen Fest - cancels for 2024. No suggestion it will return. Starry Village - cancelled one month prior to the festival. "Rising inflation has led to production costs drastically spiralling – and the cost of living crisis has had a impact on ticket sales, as folks struggle to make ends meet. Unfortunately, this has led to the very difficult and sad decision that it is just not viable for Starry Village to continue." Underneath The Stars - Announce festival will be the last, for now. "This decision, though difficult, feels right as we embrace these new chapters in our lives." Another World Music Festival - Postponed until 2025 due to low ticket sales and licensing issues. Beacon Festival "The Beacon team have had to make a tough decision in light of skyrocketing festival expenses : Beacon Festival 2024 will be the last." Askern Music Festival - postponed until 2025 after 2024 event is refused licence due to safety concerns. 51st State Festival - Postponed until 2025 "Due to the cost of living crisis, a significant increase in operational costs and operational issues, as an independent festival it is not econmically feasible for us to proceed in 2024" Towersey Festival - announces this year's edition, its 60th, will be its last. "Like many other independent and grassroots festivals we have faced too many forces outside of our control which have made it increasingly difficult to operate and survive" Twisted Festival - postponed after losing their site, and unable to secure new site in time. Intend to return in 2025. Bingley Challenge Festival Cancelled three days prior to event "they said "safety concerns", including fencing off a woodland area in case of fire, had prompted the event's cancellation. El Dorado : Cancelled for 2024. "Over the past year we, like many others, have battled with a dramatic rise in operational costs for running a show like El Dorado, compounded by the impact of the increased cost of living on the festival industry and our community. Despite our best efforts we are faced with the potential for catastrophic losses." Welliestock "I have tried for months to reduce the cost of the event but sadly, with everything being far more expensive than 2018 I have not been able to find a way which would have seen tickets having to double in price, something which we always aimed at avoiding as we always want it to be an affordable family event." Visions Festival 'taking a much needed break for 2024' Riverside Festival "lower-than-expected sales and increased infrastructure, staff, transport and artist costs" Heartwood Festival "Festivals have lifecycles that rely on the humans that facilitate them, and whilst we’re only in our 4th year our circumstances and aspirations for the future personally, professionally and geographically, won’t allow us to pour the love into Heartwood that it requires" We Are Fstvl - festival cancelled over safety concerns. ND Festival 'due to investment and sponsorship changes the festival is no longer viable' Meadowfest - Couldn't reach agreement with landowner. 'Never say never but it would be difficult to bring the event back once it has been pulled like this." Penn Fest - cancelled due to trading conditions and increased costs. May return in 2025. Askambury Festival - 'It's time we took a break'. Clun Green Man - cancelled due to weather. Will return in 2025 Illusive Festival - have announced their 2024 edition will be the last. Shindig - have announced this year's event will be its last. Cite venue changes and challenges of running an independent festival. Camp Quirky - taking a fallow year. Cite challenges of running an independent festival. Neighbourhood Weekender - no event planned for 2024. Said they will return in 2025 Lowedefest - bought to an end after 13 years Tunes On The Bay Festival - has been postponed until 2025 Escape Into The Park - Festival will not take place due to 'increase in supplier and artist costs' Bingley Festival - No plans for festival to return. 'Production costs have gone through the roof' Nibley - Announced 2024 will be their last festival. Cite increasing costs against a backdrop of cost of living crisis. Togfest - No plans for festival to return. Loss of core team and some venue issues given as reason. Detonate Festival - Cancelled for 2024 due to costs. Takedown Festival - Postponed until 2025. Building works and trading conditions given as reason for postponement. Smoked and Uncut - festival cancelled. No reason given. Spring Classic - festival cancelled due to costs. Standon Calling - Festival postpones until 2025. 110 Above - Rising costs mean no festival in 2024 and no plans for a future edition. Connect - Festival will not go ahead this year. No reason given. Suggests it may return in 2025. Ampthill - Festival cancelled unable to cover costs. company goes into administration. Hayloft Live - Cancelled due 'to unforseen circumstances' Love Fit - Festival cancelled and company goes into liquidation. Splendour - no event in 2024 due to tender and procurement issues. Festival hopes to return in 2025. Doonhame - rising costs force cancellation of festival Barn On The Farm - no edition for 2024. Update : now has said it has no plans to return. Nostock The Hidden Valley - Has announced 2024 - it's 26th edition - will be the last edition, citing rise in supply chain costs as the reason for its reluctant closure. Bluedot - Is taking a 'fallow' year for 2024 NASS - After it's 2023 edition announced it will not return Leopollooza - Made its 2023 edition its final event.