Nozstock festival to end after 26 years, due to cost of living crisis

nme.com:

official website, the line-up for next year is “coming soon”. Tickets are on sale now – you can buy yours here.This week, organisers of the festival – full name Nozstock The Hidden Valley – confirmed in a statement that “sadly Nozstock 2024 will be the last one”.

It went on to explain that “the losses incurred over COVID” and the ongoing cost of living crisis pose a significant “financial risk”.“But we intend to go out with a bang!” the message continued. “We will be putting together a line-up of some of our favourites from over the years plus the usual exciting additions you’ve come to expect from us.“We will celebrate the amazing 26 years we’ve had, the people we’ve met, the sights we’ve seen, the music we’ve heard and the moments we’ve made.”This is sad news, another fantastic independent festival is closing its doors. @Nozstock The soaring costs from artists and suppliers are making the financial risk unviable.

pic.twitter.com/AybQULUvWB— Dub Pistols (@dubpistols) December 5, 2023John Rostron, CEO of the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), said in a separate statement: “It’s incredibly sad to see Nozstock The Hidden Valley forced to close its gates for good as a direct result of the financial strain faced by many following significant COVID losses and an ongoing cost of living crisis.“After almost three decades of great events, Nozstock has become a key fixture on the UK’s independent festival calendar, and this should serve as yet another alarm bell warning of the perilous situation that many in this cultural sector are facing.”He continued: “Already, neither NASS Festival and Leopallooza will return in 2024; Bluedot is on a hiatus after a difficult 2023 edition, and the award-winning Field Maneuvres has.