US festival Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival will return in June 2026 after this year’s festival was cancelled due to heavy rain and flooding at the site.

Organisers of the Live Nation-backed festival have announced a raft of improvements to mitigate future weather-related cancellations and improve the overall festival experience.

“We’ve been taking your feedback to heart over the past few weeks as we plan improvements and talk about what’s next for the festival,” reads a statement posted on social media on Thursday (17 July).

These changes include discontinuing the use of campsites located in the areas of the festival that were most affected by flooding last month, which will result in a reduced capacity next year.

To alleviate the congestion that typically occurs during arrival, camping entry will now begin on Wednesday instead of Thursday, giving festival-goers an extra day to settle in before the music begins.

Stages within the main festival site, called Centeroo, will only be fully programmed Friday through Sunday. This eliminates the event’s traditional Thursday performances, although there will be a Thursday night “welcome party” on the What Stage.

After traditionally being located in the Outeroo camping area, the Where in the Woods UFO Stage will be moved to Centeroo. The stage will feature DJ sets and late-night parties and replace the Infinity Stage, which will not return after debuting at the event last month.

The festival says that it will dedicate millions more dollars to “initiating improvements that prioritise affected areas

Finally, organisers say that “Centeroo and the caliber of artists you expect from us will remain very similar to previous years.”

The cancellation of this year’s Bonnaroo was the third in five years. The 2021 edition, similarly, was cancelled at the eleventh hour due to flooding from Hurricane Ida, while the 2020 instalment was called off due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The statement said that after the festival was cancelled in 2021, the fest undertook “a multi-million dollar, multi-year plan,” developed in conjunction with drainage and land management experts, to improve conditions on the site in the case of heavy rain.

The festival says that in the current off-season, it will dedicate millions more dollars to “initiating improvements that prioritise the campgrounds and other areas affected by the extreme weather in 2025.” These projects will include reseeding the property, increasing access roads within the campgrounds, adding additional drainage and reinforcing primary water runoff pathways.

Bonnaroo 2025 was was abandoned after just one day due to heavy rains caused severe flooding to the site and the forecast predicted continued heavy precipitation that would “produce deteriorating camping and egress conditions in the coming days.”

After initially offering 75% refunds for the hampered instalment, organisers increased it to 100% after over 6,000 people signed a petition calling for a full refund.

In the latest statement, organisers note that “weather experts have confirmed that we saw record-setting rainfall this spring and early summer, making what we experienced extremely uncommon. All things considered, our traditional June time frame remains the most optimal time of year for Bonnaroo.”

Bonnaroo will return between 11–14 June 2026.

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Hundreds of people received medical attention for heat-related illnesses at a country music event in the US.

Headlined by Kid Rock, Nickelback, Hank Williams Jr and Lynyrd Skynyrd, touring festival Rock the Country reached Ashland, Kentucky, on 11-12 July.

But with temperatures exceeding 30°C, more than 500 people required treatment, with second medical tent needing to be opened up to accommodate the influx.

“By the time the gates opened, we already had people dropping”

“By the time the gates opened, we already had people dropping,” Boyd County emergency management director Tim England told local news service WSAZ. “Over the course of the weekend, there was about 538 patient contacts that were seen in the medical tent.”

Presented by Peachtree Entertainment, the festival continues this weekend (18-19 July) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, before wrapping up in Anderson, South Carolina on 25-26 July.

IQ recently checked in with European festival organisers to discover how they were coping with the heatwave as swathes of the continent deals with record temperatures well above 30°C – and in some cases 40°C.

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A dance music festival in the Netherlands attracted dozens of complaints after a weather phenomenon caused the sound to travel further than under normal conditions.

Boothstock took place in Rotterdam’s Kralingse Bos park on Saturday (12 July), featuring DJs such as Jamie Jones, Benwal, Mall Grab, Dennis Cruz, Michel de Hey and Benny Rodrigues.

The DCMR Environmental Protection Agency had anticipated receiving additional reports of disruption from events due to a so-called “inversion layer”.

The meteorological phenomenon – described as “a layer of warm air that lies over the region like a blanket” – reflects sound, meaning that music from the festival can be heard in areas where it would otherwise not be, with the effects increasing from 6pm onwards.

According to the NL Times, DCMR noted that the bass tones, in particular, were reaching greater distances than usual from the festival, which ran until 11pm.

DCMR received 136 noise complaints, but said the music always remained within the limits set by the municipality of Rotterdam

DCMR received 136 reports of nuisance overall, but said the music always remained within the limits set by the municipality of Rotterdam.

Elsewhere, in the UK, train services were cancelled on Saturday after tracks were damaged in the hot weather, affecting fans travelling to a Stereophonics concert at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium as Wales recorded its hottest day of the year, with highs of 33.1°C.

The Met Office’s newly published State of the UK Climate 2024 report concludes that records are becoming more frequent, with temperature and rainfall extremes becoming the norm. The report highlights how the UK’s climate has warmed steadily from the 1980s onwards, with the greatest implications from the increasing frequency and intensity of daily temperature extremes.

IQ recently checked in with European festival organisers to discover how they were coping with the heatwave as swathes of the continent deals with record temperatures well above 30°C – and in some cases 40°C.

Ilyes Ghouil, a meteorologist for French festivals including Les Eurockéennes de Belfort, said: “There are no extreme weather phenomena that we can control, at least not reliably. On the other hand, some, like heatwaves, are easier to predict and enable organisers and authorities to put in place appropriate measures in time to protect festivalgoers.”

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A Rüfüs Du Sol headline performance in Spain’s capital was called off as a result of extreme heat, just hours before it was set to take place.

The Australian band were due to deliver a DJ set at Brunch Electronik Madrid in Juan Carlos Park yesterday (29 June), in partnership with Alma Occident Festival, but the event was suspended following a red weather warning after doors opened at 4pm.

“The meteorological agency AEMET has decreed a red alert in the entire community of Madrid,” read a statement from organisers. “This level of alert implies a serious and imminent risk to public safety. Consequently, the local authorities have informed us in writing that the Juan Carlos I Park will be compulsorily closed and the event is consequently suspended with immediate effect.

“We regret the inconvenience caused by this circumstance and are currently evaluating what measures we can take in response to this exceptional situation. In these extreme weather conditions, everyone’s safety is of the utmost importance.”

The nomadic, open-air electronic music series had hosted headliners Keinemusik at the same Madrid venue the night before and will host a stage at the city’s Mad Cool Festival on 13 July, featuring Peggy Gou, Jungle, Mau P and Macarena Hoffman.

“Excessive heat is increasingly a problem across most of the world”

Last night’s cancellation once again brings into focus the impact of unpredictable weather conditions on music events around the globe.

Earlier this month, organisers of Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in the US were forced to pull the plug after just one day due to severe weather as heavy thunderstorms ripped through the local area. Festivals such as Pohoda, Gazebo Festival, Sueños Music Festival, Slam Dunk Festival, Electric Love and Graspop were also hampered last summer.

Meanwhile, a 2025 report by Green Music Australia, Rain, Heat, Repeat: How Music Fans Are Experiencing Extreme Weather,  found that 85% of festivalgoers had experienced what they perceived to be extreme weather at a music event over the past year.

“Excessive heat is increasingly a problem across most of the world – and that’s for both outdoor shows and indoor shows,” leading broker Martin Goebbels of Miller Insurance told IQ last month. “Certainly, there are a lot of places where indoor shows don’t have suitable ventilation and air conditioning, and in these increasing times of 40-odd degrees temperatures, it’s a danger. So weather is going to continue to be a problem.”

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The future of Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is in doubt after organisers suggested that the US festival would take some time off following several turbulent years.

The 2025 edition, which was due to run between 12–16 June, was abandoned after just one day due to extreme weather in Manchester, Tennessee.

Tyler, The Creator, John Summit, Glass Animals, Olivia Rodrigo, Avril Lavigne, Justice, Hozier, Vampire Weekend and Queens of the Stone Age were due to perform.

As the first day took place without incident, all four-day admission ticket holders and four-day camping ticket holders were initially offered a 75% refund.

“When plans for the future take shape, you will be the first to know”

However, the Live Nation-backed festival has now increased the refund for 2025 tickets to 100% after over 6,000 people signed a petition calling for a full refund.

At the same time, Bonnaroo said that it “will not be announcing future dates at this time”. “When plans for the future take shape, you will be the first to know,” organisers promised.

The cancellation of this year’s Bonnaroo was the third in five years. The 2021 edition, similarly, was cancelled at the eleventh hour due to flooding from Hurricane Ida, while the 2020 instalment was called off due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Elsewhere in the statement, the organisers thanked fans for bearing with them: “This cancellation broke our hearts beyond measure but we knew it had to happen for your safety.”

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Event organisers have been urged not to treat cancellation insurance as a “necessary evil” as worries around extreme weather, civil unrest and other issues ramp up.

Promoters around the globe have long grappled with the impact of the unpredictable conditions on their events, with festivals such as Pohoda, Gazebo Festival, Sueños Music Festival, Slam Dunk Festival, Electric Love and Graspop all hampered last summer.

A new report by Green Music Australia, Rain, Heat, Repeat: How Music Fans Are Experiencing Extreme Weather,  found that 85% of festivalgoers had experienced what they perceived to be extreme weather at a music event over the past 12 months.

Leading broker Martin Goebbels of Miller Insurance says the subject is two-fold.

“The particular problem at the moment is both bad weather and excessive heat, so [insurance] prices have increased because climate change has increased cancellations,” he tells IQ.

Goebbels noted in 2024 that additional premiums for adverse weather had risen 50% in less than a decade, while premiums in North America have reportedly tripled in recent years. Earlier this year meanwhile, US festival Hinterland introduced a 90 Degree Guarantee which allows ticket holders the option to request festival admission ticket returns for any day predicted to reach 90° (32C) or higher.

“Excessive heat is increasingly a problem across most of the world – and that’s for both outdoor shows and indoor shows.” says Goebbels. “Certainly, there are a lot of places where indoor shows don’t have suitable ventilation and air conditioning, and in these increasing times of 40-odd degrees temperatures, it’s a danger. So weather is going to continue to be a problem.”

“The US has been impacted by extreme weather and fires, and this has an impact on both premiums and the conditions in the policies”

Tysers Live MD Tim Thornhill says demand for event cancellation and non-appearance policies has evolved over the last few years.

“This is as a result of both the appetite of insurers to offer it, which thankfully is improving, and the claims that have been seen in different countries,” he says. “Europe used to be cheaper than the UK, but the pricing is coming closer now. The US has been impacted by extreme weather and fires, and this has an impact on both premiums and the conditions in the policies.

“We have also seen contracts between artists and promoters evolve as well as those between promoters and suppliers. It’s important to make sure that these are provided to us as brokers to make sure that our clients are insured appropriately.”

London Market Partners (LMP) Group has developed what it bills as a “game-changing solution”, called FestiFLEX. The plan allows organisers to secure full cancellation cover while spreading the cost over multiple payments – with protection from the moment the first deposit is paid.

“Unfortunately, not every festival sells out in a couple of minutes, so I wanted to come up with something whereby they could arrange cancellation cover as early as possible, without having to pay the full premium immediately, which can be substantial,” explains John Silcock, group head of global entertainment Meridian Risk Solutions, which acquired LMP last year.

Under the terms of the payment plan, the festival pays 20% of the premium upfront, a further 30% 60 days from the event and the remaining 50% balance 30 days before, “by which time, hopefully their cash flow is such that it becomes much more affordable”. The product is being offered on a first come, first served basis.

“You have to keep coming up with new solutions because it’s a constantly evolving business and you have to provide financial solutions for that business and the risk management that goes with it,” adds Silcock. “We live in a world where extreme things are starting to happen with more regularity because it is so unpredictable now. If you look at the natural disasters happening across the world, whether it’s fires, earthquakes, floods, rain, storms, volcanoes, whatever it happens to be – any of these can have an effect on a festival.”

“Policies have to adapt to be effective in the ever-changing environment we operate in”

Silcock flags up other potential areas of concern for the business such as terrorism (“If the threat looks credible and the information from the security services is that you shouldn’t go ahead with this, then you can’t”).

Elsewhere, Steven Howell of Media & Music Insurance Brokers says that policies and coverages have been developed to cater for disruption caused by political unrest and civil commotion.

“Policies have to adapt to be effective in the ever-changing environment we operate in,” he tells IQ. “One of the biggest risks faced by promoters is non-appearance of headline artists or cancellation of the show. There are many reasons a loss can occur, such as artists’ ill health or adverse weather, but increasingly these risks include riots and civil commotion, national mourning and single (active) shooter.

Howell explains that other insurances to be considered include public liability, cyber, hired in equipment and artist travel insurance, while MMIB has also recently begun providing songwriters indemnity insurance, which provides cover in the event of copyright infringement claims.

The most important thing, he adds, is to ensure the cover is fit for purpose and that it will respond in the event of a claim – which is not necessarily the cheapest option.

“Cutting costs on the premium usually means reducing the cover in some way which is not always the best thing to do,” he says. “For example, insuring the cost budget rather than the revenue will usually be cheaper, but in the event of a claim this reduces the amount paid out and removes any element of profit from a claim – effectively meaning the promoter will have worked for free, and therefore is not the best solution in the long run.”

“Don’t view insurance as being a necessary evil, view it as being part of your planning for a successful event”

He continues: “It is really important to declare all prior commitments and any pre-existing medical conditions to your broker and insurers,” continues Howell. “Not doing so can significantly jeopardise the potential for a claim settlement. The more information provided, the better the options we can provide, and the more comprehensive the coverage will be. It is best for everyone that there are no hidden surprises in the event of a claim.”

Goebbels advises that the mental health of performers is “very much on everyone’s agenda” and needs to be properly addressed at the time of taking insurance. He goes on to guard against viewing insurance as “an enemy”.

“If it’s right, it can work well for you,” he says. “Apart from liability insurance, nothing else is compulsory. So get a broker involved and assess your own risk. And definitely don’t hold back on any details that a broker would ask for – because that only would cause complications in the event of a claim.”

“Don’t view insurance as being a necessary evil, view it as being part of your planning for a successful event,” concludes Silcock. “We can help you to construct the right insurance for you, taking into account your budget, and ultimately provide you with something which might help you sleep a bit better at night. And if your worst nightmares do come true, we’ll be there 24/7 to help.”

• IQ recently explored the cancellation insurance dilemma facing the increasing number of artists still touring well into their golden years.

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Green Day have been forced to cancel the third and final date of their Australian Saviors Tour as a result of rare weather phenomenon Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

The trio, who are booked by CAA, completed shows at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on 1 March and Engie Stadium, Sydney, on 3 March, but pulled their 5 March stop on the Gold Coast at Cbus Super Stadium, Robina, Queensland.

The state is braced for the first cyclone to make landfall in more than 50 years, with severe flooding expected along with wind speeds of up to 130km/h.

“With Cyclone Alfred bringing some seriously nasty weather, it’s just not possible to go ahead safely,” says a social media post from the band.

Cbus Super Stadium also released a statement, confirming the show was cancelled “due to the extreme weather conditions forecast”.

“We know how excited fans were for the concert and we share your disappointment,” says the message. “Concert organisers explored every opportunity to go ahead with the event, but the safety and travel certainty of concert goers, performers and staff cannot be ensured under current conditions.”

“Due to Green Day’s international touring schedule it will not be possible to reschedule the Gold Coast show to a later date”

With Green Day set to headline Lollapalooza India on 9 March, promoter Live Nation Australia says it will not be possible to reschedule the Queensland event.

“We understand the immense disappointment surrounding the cancellation of tomorrow’s Green Day show on the Gold Coast due to Cyclone Alfred,” it says in a statement. “This decision was made in close consultation with local authorities and with Green Day, prioritising the safety of all involved.

“Due to Green Day’s international touring schedule it will not be possible to reschedule the Gold Coast show to a later date. All ticket holders will receive a full refund from Ticketmaster. Our thoughts are with all impacted by Cyclone Alfred.”

The Melbourne and Sydney gigs marked Green Day’s first Australian dates since 2017. A scheduled 2020/21 stop was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Meanwhile, it was recently disclosed that a new coming-of-age film inspired by – and developed with – Green Day is in the works, produced by Live Nation Productions.

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Three stages have been closed on the opening day of the UK’s Leeds Festival as Storm Lilian brought strong winds of up to 60mph to the region.

Organisers delivered an urgent weather report on X at 9am this morning, advising campers to stay in their tents or to delay their arrival if they had not yet reached the Bramham Park site.

All of Friday’s performances on the Festival Republic-promoted event’s new stages, The Chevron and Aux, have been cancelled, while the BBC Radio 1 stage will also remain shut. Cancelled sets include Skrillex, Beabadoobee, Ashnikko, Nia Archives, Dom Dolla and Alfie Templeman.

The 75,000-cap Yorkshire festival’s main stage belatedly opened at 3.10pm with its first live act, Bru-C, with acts set to perform later include Liam Gallagher, Catfish and the Bottlemen, 21 Savage and Pendulum. Slots by the likes of Reneé Rapp, Crawlers and Corella were pulled.

“The weather has been too dangerous for our crew of myself to set up/access the stage all morning”

US singer-songwriter Rapp told her 3m followers on Instagram: “Leeds, the weather has been too dangerous for our crew of myself to set up/access the stage all morning. I’m so sad to miss you but your safety and my team’s safety is of the utmost importance and I can’t risk that.”

LEEDS ARENA UPDATE pic.twitter.com/sS1cVIB9Ik

— Reading & Leeds Fest (@OfficialRandL) August 23, 2024

Leeds and twin festival Reading run across 10-plus stages from 23-25 August. Other acts on the lineup include Blink-182, Fred Again.., Lana Del Rey, Gerry Cinnamon, Raye, Two Door Cinema Club, Fontaines D.C., The Prodigy and The Last Dinner Party.

Elsewhere, this weekend’s Creamfields was also hit by high gusts of winds on site, causing a delay to public arenas and gates opening. The likes of Calvin Harris, Chase & Status, Martin Garrix, Alesso, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Fatboy Slim, Tiesto, Peggy Gou are starring at the dance institution in Daresbury, Cheshire.

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Slovakia’s Pohoda has been brought to a premature end after one of its large tents collapsed due to a severe storm, injuring 29 festivalgoers.

The 30,000-cap 2024 edition was set to run at Trenčín airport from 11-13 July, but was suspended at 8pm on Friday before the decision was made to cancel the remainder of the event.

Spectator reports that dozens of people were inside the tent at the time of the collapse. Police are investigating the incident.

“Twenty-eight injuries were minor, mostly lacerations, and one injury was of moderate severity, involving a hip fracture,” says the festival’s chief physician Jaroslav Vidan, who adds that all casualties were taken to hospital.

Artists booked for the event included Peggy Gou, James Blake, Skepta, Pendulum, Black Pumas, Thievery Corporation, Arlo Parks, Ezra Collective and Nia Archives, while scheduled Friday night performances by Royal Blood and Morcheeba were called off because of the adverse conditions.

“We expect to be able to provide information shortly about the extreme weather that affected our festival and the consequences it had on the festival structures”

“After careful consideration of the time constraints for inspecting the safety of the festival structures, we have decided that we must cancel Pohoda 2024,” organisers posted on social media on Saturday. “Based on the available information, inspecting all the structures could not be completed in less than 24 hours, which makes it impossible to continue with the festival programme.

“The safety of our guests is our priority, and therefore we believe that our decision, made with great regret, will be understood by everyone. We expect to be able to provide information shortly about the extreme weather that affected our festival and the consequences it had on the festival structures.”

Evacuation buses were arranged to transport people from the site.

“We would like to thank SAD Trenčín, Slovak Lines, Railways of the Slovak Republic, and Slovenská Sporiteľňa for organising special transport during the evacuation,” say organisers in a message to attendees. “We would also like to thank all our suppliers, partners, artists, non-profit organisations and catering teams for their understanding and various forms of assistance in dealing with the situation.

“We will keep you updated on the next steps and the overall future of our festival”

“Due to the immense effort, dedication and support, the impact of Friday’s extreme storm has been minimised. Our thoughts are with all those injured and we wish them a speedy recovery. Our thoughts are also with all those who have been affected in any way. For those travelling home, we wish you a safe return. We miss you all greatly, but you have left behind a sense of hope.

“We are now focusing on the aftermath of the event and will be staying at Trenčín Airport for many days to pack up the prematurely ended Pohoda 2024. We will keep you updated on the next steps and the overall future of our festival.”

The independent music and arts festival was launched in 1997 and has featured acts such as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Pulp, Kraftwerk, The xx, Liam Gallagher, Wolf Alice, The Chemical Brothers, PJ Harvey, The Prodigy, M.I.A. and The Libertines.

Previously, two people were killed and dozens injured after a stage tent collapsed on them during a rainstorm at the 2009 festival.

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A US festival has become the latest victim of weather-related complications, with California’s Sol Blume postponed two weeks before it was set to take place.

Organisers of the Sacramento-based festival, which was originally set for 3-5 May, pointed to lasting effects from the torrential rain that drenched the state in late February. This is the second consecutive year the festival has been delayed due to extreme weather.

“Mother nature has once again caused commotion and created conditions at the festival site that render it unsafe to build on,” organisers said in a press release. “Although the park is no longer flooded, the damage remains. Due to significant site damage and growing safety concerns, we will not be able to host this year’s festival.”

The fifth edition of the festival, which expanded from two to three days this year, has been pushed to 15-17 August 2025. Organisers have also confirmed that future editions are to be held in the late summer instead of spring to avoid “any weather-related conflicts in the future”.

It is not clear whether the lineup — which included SZA, Snoh Alegra, and Kaytranada leading the bill — will remain the same.

“Even if we prepare for everything, you still can’t really control that”

The 2023 edition, which was deferred from April to August for weather-related impacts, was headlined by Brent Faiyaz and Kehlani. That year, the R&B festival recorded its biggest-ever turnout with 46,000 people attending across two days, as reported by promoters ENT Legends.

The cancellation is the latest example of the impact of extreme weather on live music. Over the past year, several festivals — including Germany’s Wacken Open Air, Spain’s Primavera Sound Madrid, the US’s Ultra Miami, and Australia’s Good Things — have been impacted by ‘freak’ and extreme heat-related incidents, as insurance queries and rates have correspondingly risen.

In the US, adverse weather coverage has “increased significantly” in the last five years, according to Jeff Torda from Higginbotham. Backing this point, a recent Billboard article claimed premiums in North America had tripled in recent years.

The latest edition of ILMC also saw industry leaders discussing ways to cope with the impact of weather on festivals and open-air live music events.

“Thirty years ago, it was mostly the rain, but it’s now changed to raining one second and being 35 or 40°C suddenly after that,” said May Ling of Australia’s Chugg Entertainment. “Even if we prepare for everything, you still can’t really control that.”

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