Is the UK festival sector getting back on track?

Hopes that the UK festival sector has turned the corner on a tumultuous 2024 are rising, with the rate of cancellations having dropped significantly. A record 78 festivals announced a postponement, cancellation or complete closure last year – more than double the amount that fell in 2023.

Hopes that the UK festival sector has turned the corner on a tumultuous 2024 are rising, with the rate of cancellations having dropped significantly.

A record 78 festivals announced a postponement, cancellation or complete closure last year – more than double the amount that fell in 2023. The total had surpassed 40 by mid-May 2024, but currently stands at around 15 as of April 2025.

“It’s a lot lower than where we were at this time last year,” Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) boss John Rostron tells IQ. “And…

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