Scotland’s Doonhame Festival (cap. 3,000) has joined the growing list of UK festivals to be cancelled due to rising costs.
Festival co-director Sandy Sweetman said organisers took the “difficult decision” not to hold the event in Dumfries this year due to “escalating costs and personal commitments”.
The festival follows other recent cancellations due to rising costs such as Barn On The Farm and NASS. Nottingham’s Splendour was also pulled recently after promoter DHP Family encountered delays in the council planning process.
Doonhame, set on the grounds of Crichton Estate, was established in 2019 as a locally curated festival to primarily promote and support local talent. Following a two-year enforced hiatus due to Covid, the festival came back in 2022 and 2023 with lineups including The Waterboys, Cast, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, GUN, The Feeling, Bad Manners, Skerryvore and 1994.
Announcing the cancellation, Sweetman said, “2023 was a hugely positive experience for us with the festival taking shape and finding its format, however balancing ticket price with the rising costs of putting a festival together and looking at our own limited availability to dedicate the necessary time to the project sadly makes it unsustainable.
“Mark and myself cannot be more grateful to all the people who supported us throughout this journey, from the dedicated team who put so much time and energy into helping us throughout the last five years, the Crichton for accommodating us, sponsors and everyone who committed by buying tickets.”
Doonhame Festival had been scheduled for 21-22 July. Organisers have not yet confirmed if and when the event will return.