UK’s longest-running independent festival Towersey to end after 60 years due to “economic challenges”

nme.com:

Glastonbury festival was founded. Organisers have now confirmed that after 60 years, it will be coming to a permanent end due to external pressures and financial strain.The final installment will take place this summer, and will be held at Buckinghamshire’s Claydon Estate between August 23 and 26.Artists lined-up for 2024 include Billy Bragg, The Staves, Tide Lines, Seth Lakeman and Pokey Lafarge.News that the festival would be closing after this year’s edition was shared by two of Manners’ grandchildren – Mary Hodson and Joe Heap – who now run the event as co-directors.“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we also deliver this message.

Like so many other independent and grassroots festivals, Towersey is facing the very sad prospect of ending after this year’s festival, our 60th year,” they wrote (via Access All Areas).“We have worked incredibly hard over the last few years to try to bring Towersey back to financial stability.

The pandemic wiped all our back up and changed the face of festivals across the industry. Coming back from this and the economic challenges we’ve all felt since then has been all but impossible.

Without investment partnerships or a fundamental change to the character of the festival, we have concluded that we will have to bow out after this year.“We are proud of what we’ve achieved with Towersey and the massive contributions we’ve made over the years to charities, local causes, tourism, and emerging artists.