The Cambridge Folk Festival organizers announced on 17 January that the event will not take place this summer and will be postponed until next year. They did not give any specific reasons for why they had made this decision, but simply said they would use all their resources and explore new opportunities to make the Cambridge Folk Festival even more incredible and fantastic in 2026. Instead, a free folk concert will be held in the grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall to support local artists, aspiring musicians and all lovers of folk music.
The huge music event, which has been held annually since 1965 at Cherry Hinton Hall in south-east Cambridge, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. However, fans that travel from all over the world will have to cancel their plans this time.
It’s not the only event cancelled this year. In December, it was announced Cambridge’s Strawberry Fair would also be cancelled and would be rescheduled for 2026.
Festival-goers called on organizers to explain the sudden cancellation
Fans of the Cambridge Folk Festival were extremely upset by the news of the cancellation of the festival, given the fact that this year the event celebrates its 60th anniversary. For many people, it has become one of the most significant, remarkable and incredible events of the year that will not leave anyone indifferent, so fans try not to miss it and attend every year. Festival-goers are particularly disappointed the organizers did not explain the reason for the postponement. People plan to attend the festival in advance and some have even booked their accommodation for the 4 days of the festival.
It wasn’t just fans who were disappointed by the decision. Cheney Payne, a Liberal Democrat spokesperson on the City Council, called the news of the Cambridge Folk Festival’s cancellation “incredibly disappointing”. She was angry that the decision had been made public as a fait accompli, without giving any chance for alternatives to be discussed.
Cambridge Radio, which films behind-the-scenes reports and shows performances by artists, including little-known ones, also expressed their regret.
One of the reasons for the cancellation of the festival is reportedly rising costs. Although the Cambridge Folk Festival is independent, however it receives financial assistance from the council. Due to rising costs, smaller festivals across the country are under threat. Thus, in the summer of 2024, more than 60 events across the UK had to be cancelled.
Despite the official announcement of the postponement, some Cherry Hinton Councillors still believe the Cambridge Folk Festival can go ahead, albeit on a smaller scale that will last one day instead of four. They noted how important it is to continue the festival’s 60-year tradition and know how dear the event is to fans and musicians. These words give us hope and make us believe in the best.
