Number of festivals being dissolved reaches record numbers

This summer’s festival line-up is set to be a record-breaker, with cancellations and postponements looking to reach new heights, the Association of Independent Festivals has reported.

So far this year, 31 events have been cancelled, which is just three short of the total number cancelled in 2010. In July, First Days of Freedom in Kent and Aberdeen’s Northern Lights were both cancelled, while August has seen Chalgrove in Oxfordshire, Exeter’s Devon Rox and Devon’s Bideford Festival cancelled.

Many events have been forced to cancel due to financial difficulties or licensing issues. Bideford Festival director Jerry Bix commented: “In common with many other established festivals this year, Bideford Folk Festival has found that the economic climate and the price of petrol have made people think twice about travelling long distances.”

With many events suffering in 2011, some promoters are cutting their losses and concentrating on next year due to the absence of Glastonbury, in the hope that festival goers will look elsewhere for their festival needs. Organisers of the Firefly Festival in Ludlow said: “We know it’s been a tough summer for a lot of festivals, and what’s important for us is that we take this step in 2011 so we can look at coming back in 2012 even more triumphantly.”