The number of festival cancellations in the U.K. continues to rise, with 72 events either postponing, being cancelled or announcing a complete closure in 2024—double the amount in 2023.

According to the Association of Independent Festivals, 204 U.K. festivals have disappeared since 2019, including 96 events lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After taking place in October, the 31-year-old Tenterden Folk Festival was among recent closures, with rising costs given for the decision to not continue in 2025.

Since the start of February, AIF has campaigned for a temporary lowering of VAT on festival tickets from 20% to 5%. It says a reduction of this kind would have saved most of the events that closed this year. However, intervention from the U.K. government has not yet materialized.

“This has been a devastating period for the U.K.’s festival organisers," AIF CEO John Rostron said. "We have campaigned tirelessly for targeted, temporary government intervention which, evidence shows, would have saved most of the independent events that have fallen in 2024. It is sad to see that this erosion has been allowed to continue under this government. We have great events, with great demand, and we’re doing all we can. They need to step up, and step up now.”