A SMALL but popular music and arts event has been called off this year due to financial pressures and low-ticket sales.

The Cosmic Roots Festival, which was set to take place from September 5-8 at The Copse in Basingstoke, has been a staple for around 2,000 attendees each year since its debut in 2018.

Festival organisers announced the cancellation on social media, citing rising production costs and slower-than-expected ticket sales as the main reasons.

“The pressure on our independently-funded festival is simply too great,” they said, adding that the decision was made after exhausting all other options.

A regular Cosmic Roots festival-goer and friend of the organisers, who did not want to be name, shared her reaction to the news.

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Cosmic Roots Festival Cosmic Roots Festival (Image: Georgia O'Keeffe)

“I’ve been to the festival twice, including the most recent one, and was really looking forward to this year,” she said. “I was shocked when I heard it was cancelled. The organisers put so much effort into it, but with the way prices have been going up, I get it. Tickets were getting too expensive for a lot of people.”

Cosmic Roots was known not just for its music line-up, which included artists like Jay Carder, Donna Leake, and Lukas Wigflex this year, but also for its focus on community. The festival featured art installations, yoga sessions, and breath-work workshops, creating a unique atmosphere that drew a dedicated crowd.

The cancellation of Cosmic Roots is part of a larger trend affecting the UK festival scene. With the cost of living rising, many small festivals are struggling to stay afloat. The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) reports that over 60 festivals have already been cancelled in 2024, with more expected to follow.

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A recent survey found that 44 per cent of UK music fans are buying fewer festival tickets this year, with nearly half unwilling to spend more than £200 on a ticket. This has made it tough for smaller, independent festivals to cover their costs.

Considering these challenges, the AIF has launched a campaign to reduce VAT on festival tickets, hoping to ease the financial burden on organisers. Without such support, many fear that more festivals like Cosmic Roots could disappear.

For now, those who bought tickets for Cosmic Roots 2024 will receive refunds, and the organisers are taking time to figure out what is next.

“This isn’t the end for Cosmic Roots,” they said, hinting at future events and maintaining the community spirit that has been at the festival’s core.

  • This article was written by Georgia O'Keeffe