Several events have had to be pulled this summer, causing disappointment all round. But disgruntled punters wanting their money back are far from the only problem for organisers
“It feels like a film set where a film was never shot.” That’s how Houghton festival described its site last week, when it was forced to abandon this year’s event due to forecasts of thunderstorms and gale-force winds. Unable to guarantee the safety of punters, the Norfolk dance
music festival, like Newquay’s Boardmasters, had no choice.
Decisions to cancel festivals are fraught, but also relatively rare. So what is the process for making this heartbreaking call, and what are the knock-on effects for festivals’ temporary community of artists and traders?