With the news that Sundown Festival and Black Deer Festival were no longer taking place in 2025, alongside a report that over 72 UK music festivals did not take place this year, is there now a growing concern that the UK music festival calendar might not be quite as busy in years to come?
While Glastonbury, TRNSMT and Leeds and Reading continue to survive despite a cost of living crisis and inflation to boot, some of even the most lucrative of festivals have fallen foul of poor ticket sales, a disastrous year causing damage to good will, or just simply it’s unaffordable to run anymore.
We’ve taken a look at 13 music festivals (some of which this writer has attended and shed tears for too) that once were cornerstones of the UK festival calendar, only to fade away into distant memories - or in one case, deep regrets.
Did you attend any of these festivals yourself? Let us know by leaving a comment below, but without further ado, here’s 13 UK music festivals “in memoriam."
1. Phoenix Festival
The Phoenix Festival, established in 1993 by John Vincent Power of the Mean Fiddler Music Group, aimed to rival the likes of Glastonbury and Reading, offering a four-day experience at Long Marston Airfield, near Stratford-upon-Avon. In 1996, after a particularly problematic event where many attendees missed David Bowie's performance due to logistical issues, including extreme heat and water shortages, the festival was forced to shut down in 1997 due to poor ticket sales and financial instability. | Getty Images
2. V Festival
V Festival, also known as V Fest, was a staple in the UK music festival scene from 1996 to 2017. It was held simultaneously at two locations, Hylands Park in Chelmsford and Weston Park in South Staffordshire, with performances rotating between sites on Saturday and Sunday. The festival's innovative format and large scale, with capacities of 90,000 at each site in its final years, made it one of the most popular events in the UK. In 2017, Richard Branson announced that the festival would be discontinued, and the following year, a new event, "Rize Festival," was launched in its place, although it failed to capture the same spirit. | Getty Images
3. T In The Park
T in the Park was a major Scottish music festival that ran from 1994 to 2016, sponsored by Tennents Lager. Initially held at Strathclyde Park in Lanarkshire, the festival moved to the disused Balado airfield in Perth and Kinross in 1997, where it grew significantly in size, attracting up to 255,000 attendees by 2003. However, T in the Park faced growing challenges, particularly after moving to Strathallan Castle in 2015. The 2016 event was marred by the tragic deaths of three festival-goers and reports of anti-social behaviour at the campsite. These issues led to the festival's cancellation in 2017. | Getty Images
4. Global Gathering
Global Gathering was a prominent electronic dance music festival that ran from 2001 to 2014, attracting crowds with its diverse line-up of electronic acts across genres like house, trance, drum and bass, and dubstep. The UK leg, held annually at Long Marston Airfield near Stratford-upon-Avon, became a major fixture in the global EDM scene. In 2014, after 13 years, Global Gathering UK was put on hiatus for review, and it was officially announced in October 2014 that the event would not take place in 2015, marking the end of an era. | AFP via Getty Images
5. Deconstruction
The Deconstruction Tour was a popular one-day punk music and skate festival that took place across Europe from 1999 to 2006. The event was designed to showcase up-and-coming local bands, with the lineups growing in prominence as the day progressed. It also featured displays by BMX riders and skaters, adding to the festival’s alternative appeal. The Deconstruction Tour became a significant part of the punk music scene in Europe, but in 2006, the event faced difficulties due to issues with booking bands and a limited number of scheduled dates. As a result, the tour was not held after 2006. | Getty Images
6. Bestival
Bestival was a renowned four-day music festival held annually in the south of England, initially launched in 2004 at Robin Hill on the Isle of Wight. The festival was organized by DJ and record producer Rob da Bank, along with his wife Josie, as an offshoot of his Sunday Best record label and club nights. It grew in size from an initial 10,000 attendees in 2004 to 50,000 by its final year in 2018. The festival was known for its eclectic mix of music genres, arts, and performances, becoming a beloved event for music fans and families alike. The Bestival legacy lives on through Camp Bestival, which remains a popular event today. | Getty Images