Joe GallopSpring Classic (cap. 5,000) has become the 14th UK festival to be cancelled this year.
The event, which celebrates live music, ride culture and van life at Woolacombe Bay, Devon, joins a growing list of events to cancel, postpone or announce their closure entirely in 2024. Other recent cancellations include Connect, 110 Above, Standon Calling, Doonhame and NASS.
Organisers of Spring Classic blamed cost increases for the cancellation but said they aim to return “at some point in the future”.
Reacting to the news, Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) CEO John Rostron said, “Again, reasons of soaring costs for a third consecutive year since the pandemic have meant this popular, well-run event can no longer go ahead, despite plenty of personal investment from its organisers.
“The UK’s festival sector is depleting at a staggering rate in 2024 and, without Government intervention, there is no guarantee that pressures will ease for promoters in years to come. We again urge people to visit fivepercentforfestivals.com, contact their MP and call for a three year VAT reduction on festival tickets to 5% in order to give festivals the economic respite they need to recover.”
Organisers said in a statement, “We have tried everything to avoid this outcome but have been unable to find a solution – to say we are devastated is an understatement. We have poured our hearts, souls and personal finances into the event. The pressure of trying to deliver an independent festival which the local area could be proud of has been something we have tried our best to deliver on.
“From our perspective, the festival was as good as it could be despite having a number of things against us, namely the cost of living crisis, ongoing effects of covid and brexit, increased supplier and artists costs, broader macroeconomic situation, and local challenges. But, over the last few months of hard work planning our return this summer it has become clear that the costs of running the event have continued to increase dramatically since our launch and a combination of all these factors make it unviable to deliver the Spring Classic to the standard you have all come to expect.
“We want to take this moment to thank the National Trust and those in the local community that welcomed us into the amazing location that we called home. And for those of you who joined us for those two special years we hope that the good times and sunsets we all enjoyed will stay in your memory for many years to come.
“We hope to return to the heart of North Devon at some point in the future, but for now we will hold onto those thoughts as we plan our next steps.”