Could Climate Change be the end of many festivals?

[Guest]

Another Summer like this would surely force a major re-think in how festivals can carry on, no?

[thetime]

It would put a lot of punters of anyway, had there been a festival in good weather this year? I'm sure people are going to think fuck that and either go into Europe or not at all.

I'm sure it costs festivals a lot of moneif they cancelled. Issuing refunds but people still need to be paid like construction workers, land owners. Unsure if bands get a fee if a festival is cancelled.

Especially as majority of ticket sales are down in the last couple if years, bad weather aswel. All this doesn't look to promising for events apart from the odd few in 2013.

[Rufus Gwertigan]

I would think that it is too early to say. We are not quite halfway through the festival season and while there has been bad weather so far who can say if the rest of summer is going to be the same.

However the family had a discussion about festivals next year and the risk of bad weather is a factor that we are really thinking about. Given the costs of a UK festival, as well as the difficulties of public transport, we are looking at going to Europe and making a real holiday of it for around the same cost as Glastonbury would be, and with a better chance of good weather.

[thetime]

So much cheaper abroad, few examples.

Pukkelpop 120 quid

Optimus around the same

Sziget 190 quid for 7 days of music

Werchter 190 approx, 4 days of music

And the list goes on, good weather to

[Alcatraz]

Its getting quite ridiculous now.

I don't have a problem going to festivals knowing that it could go either way, particuarly with Glastonbury where its usually a day of rain and the subsuquent mud, but the rest of the festival with nice, dry conditions.

It's total shite when you know its going to piss down and worst of all in my opinion, be stupidly cool for 5 days.

Edited July 11, 2012 by Alcatraz

[Ed209]

Good topic, definitely a serious problem, and I'm obviously not the only person who's been worried about it.

Pretty much all climate change models are predicting the UK to get warmer earlier springs, "wet season" in June/July and August and warm dry autumns. Which is definitely the trend we've started seeing over the past few years. Its only going to get worse.

People are probably still putting it down as blips, but If next summer is similar to what the UK's been having this year then we could start seeing real problems. I would definitely consider going abroad for festivals, which pains me because I want to support the UK festival market, its a great thing, but if it means spending 4 days catching pneumonia and getting trench foot then fuck it.

[pryce]

So much cheaper abroad, few examples.

Pukkelpop 120 quid

Optimus around the same

Sziget 190 quid for 7 days of music

Werchter 190 approx, 4 days of music

And the list goes on, good weather to

[thetime]

wouldnt say Pukkelpop has good weather

[Bisque]

Hideout this year, looked if anything, too hot.

Weather doesn't put me off going, as once you buy a ticket that's pretty much a done deal. However it will put off the casual festival goers or potential new ones as the media have picked up on it. Hackney Weekend which got lots of publicity could have increased festivals profiles but I imagine the people that went or liked that music wouldn't enjoy camping, let alone in the rain.

[russycarps]

Hideout this year, looked if anything, too hot.

Weather doesn't put me off going, as once you buy a ticket that's pretty much a done deal. However it will put off the casual festival goers or potential new ones as the media have picked up on it. Hackney Weekend which got lots of publicity could have increased festivals profiles but I imagine the people that went or liked that music wouldn't enjoy camping, let alone in the rain.

[thetime]

But anyway, bad weather+crap line ups+sky high ticket prices = people going abroad for their festival fix.

[Rufus Gwertigan]

Hideout this year, looked if anything, too hot.

Weather doesn't put me off going, as once you buy a ticket that's pretty much a done deal. However it will put off the casual festival goers or potential new ones as the media have picked up on it. Hackney Weekend which got lots of publicity could have increased festivals profiles but I imagine the people that went or liked that music wouldn't enjoy camping, let alone in the rain.

[Bisque]

RACIST.

[lost]

I'd be quite happy if it went back to the days when you could decide the weekend before or that weekend if you wanted to go and pickup a ticket either then or on the door.

[thetime]

I'd be quite happy if it went back to the days when you could decide the weekend before or that weekend if you wanted to go and pickup a ticket either then or on the door.

[thetime]

I don't understand the 'idea' that festivals abroad are that much cheaper. Some of them aren't, and the ones that are, still need travelling costs.

Ok, if you prefer them..... but they're not particularly economical, if you're starting in the UK

[Katster]

I don't understand the 'idea' that festivals abroad are that much cheaper. Some of them aren't, and the ones that are, still need travelling costs.

Ok, if you prefer them..... but they're not particularly economical, if you're starting in the UK

[dingbat2]

Move festivals to April and May

Crisis over

[thetime]

Move festivals to April and May

Crisis over

[greenfairy43]

Move festivals to April and May

Crisis over

[kaosmark2]

I don't understand the 'idea' that festivals abroad are that much cheaper. Some of them aren't, and the ones that are, still need travelling costs.

Ok, if you prefer them..... but they're not particularly economical, if you're starting in the UK

[eFestivals]

Travel costs within the UK are pretty ridiculous.

not really, it's the other way around - flights are far too cheap.

[dingbat2]

Or September http://www.alchemyfestival.co.uk/

[thetime]

not really, it's the other way around - flights are far too cheap.

[Mardy]

not really, it's the other way around - flights are far too cheap.