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‘A Regrettable Landmark’: 50 UK Festivals Cancelled In 2024
50 UK festivals have now announced a postponement, cancellation or complete closure in 2024, according to the country’s Association of Independent Festival (AIF).
Northwich’s Geronimo Festival, due to take place Aug. 23-26 in Cheshire, England, is the latest independent UK event that has announced that its 2024 edition will not be going ahead.
It’s a particularly heavy loss, as Geronimo was hailed for its family-friendly nature, being once describes as being “like Glastonbury, but for kids,” by the Daily Mirror.
‘I’d Welcome Research Into Young Audiences’: Q’s With AIF CEO John Rostron
“Without intervention,” the AIF stated in a press release, “it’s expected that the UK will see over 100 festivals disappear in 2024 due to the pressures of unpredictable and rising costs.
The total number of festivals that have disappeared from the UK event scene since 2019 now stands at 182.
Those still operating despite the growing financial pressures since COVID, are “under more financial strain than ever,” having not been able to host successive steady seasons since the lockdowns.
In February, AIF launched a new campaign asking for a temporary VAT reduction on festival tickets that would save many event promoters from closure.
The 5% For Festivals campaign is an awareness campaign that seeks to inform festival-goers about the problems music festival promoters have faced over the last five years, encouraging them to contact their MPs to lobby for a much needed VAT reduction on tickets. That campaign is paused whilst the country prepares to elect a new government on July 4.
“Temporary support from the UK government – lowering VAT from 20% to 5% on ticket sales for the next three years – is what is needed to give festival promoters the space they need to rebuild,” the AIF stated once again.
The full list of lost festivals in 2024 can be found here.
AIF CEO John Rostron commented, “This is a regrettable landmark for the UK’s festival sector. This is the most challenging time for independent festivals who desperately need an intervention from the incoming government before more events inevitably fall. 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.”
The full statement from Geronimo’s organizers:
“With a heavy heart, we announce that Geronimo Children’s Festival is no more and our scheduled event on 23rd-26th August 2024 has been cancelled. We thank all those involved in it, the directors, staff and artists who all put their hearts and soul into the event.
“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.
“Ticketline will arrange the face value refund of all valid tickets (including those rolled over from previous years) Please note we have no access to ticketholder details and are unable to assist with refunds directly. All ticket enquiries should be addressed to [email protected] or call 0161 813 2222.
“Thank you to all the families, performers and suppliers who made Geronimo Festival a magical experience for so many children over the last decade. We hope you will cherish the memories of your time in our festival fields and wish everyone a wonderful summer.”