Having provided a summer music fix for nearly two decades, organizers behind the long-running Wolfe Island Music Festival have revealed that the 2016 edition of the fest near Kingston, ON, will not be taking place.
A Facebook post penned by the festival's artistic director Virginia Clark cited financial trouble and a saturated festival market in surrounding areas as the major reasons behind the cancellation.
"After a financial hit due to a interruption in our ferry boat service last year and the overabundance of festivals in the area, we felt it would be best to take the summer off, regroup and make next year's festival the best it can be," she wrote. "This would have been our 18th year and we feel like a bit of a pioneer with a 'all indie' line up festival."
Last year's festival lineup saw Constantines, Operators and Hayden top the bill, while acts like Elliott Brood, Limblifter, Daniel Romano, the Elwins, Moonface, Lowell and Tops also performed.
"When we first started the festival, the only other similar event was Lollapalooza," Clark continued. "A lot has changed in the festival market since then, and we want to ensure we can continue to highlight Canadian artists and other emerging artists in the beautiful setting of Wolfe Island."
The news comes with a silver lining, however, as Clark alluded to booking a series of performances to help fund the 2017 festival with information set to be shared in the coming months.
Read through her complete statement below.
A Facebook post penned by the festival's artistic director Virginia Clark cited financial trouble and a saturated festival market in surrounding areas as the major reasons behind the cancellation.
"After a financial hit due to a interruption in our ferry boat service last year and the overabundance of festivals in the area, we felt it would be best to take the summer off, regroup and make next year's festival the best it can be," she wrote. "This would have been our 18th year and we feel like a bit of a pioneer with a 'all indie' line up festival."
Last year's festival lineup saw Constantines, Operators and Hayden top the bill, while acts like Elliott Brood, Limblifter, Daniel Romano, the Elwins, Moonface, Lowell and Tops also performed.
"When we first started the festival, the only other similar event was Lollapalooza," Clark continued. "A lot has changed in the festival market since then, and we want to ensure we can continue to highlight Canadian artists and other emerging artists in the beautiful setting of Wolfe Island."
The news comes with a silver lining, however, as Clark alluded to booking a series of performances to help fund the 2017 festival with information set to be shared in the coming months.
Read through her complete statement below.
Dear Festival Friends,After a lot of contemplation, we have decided to not hold the Wolfe Island Music Festival in the...
Posted by Wolfe Island Music Festival on Monday, March 21, 2016