The Vancouver Folk Music Festival may be gone for good.

Organizers said Tuesday (Jan. 17) theyB次元官网网址檝e held off on cancelling this yearB次元官网网址檚 event for as long as possible in hopes that more funds would come through, but that they simply donB次元官网网址檛 have the money or staff to make things happen.

B次元官网网址淎fter two years of COVID-related shutdowns, we came back in 2022 to find the festival environment greatly changed. Many of our service providers and suppliers had completely disappeared which necessitated herculean efforts and massively increased costs just to cover the basics of production, like stage, fencing and tents. We had a great festival, but we did not break even,B次元官网网址� the festivalB次元官网网址檚 board president Mark Zuberbuhler said in a statement.

Zuberbuhler said itB次元官网网址檚 not just that costs have increased though, but that many vendors now require payment up-front, before the festival has had a chance to earn money from ticket sales.

B次元官网网址淲ith todayB次元官网网址檚 pricing, we would require an additional $500,000 in funding every year to produce the festival, which is unfortunately not realistic or sustainable for our organization.B次元官网网址�

Zuberbuhler said even if the extra half million suddenly did appear this year, it would now be too late for them to organize things in time for summer.

The board of directors has decided to recommend to its members that they permanently end the festival. TheyB次元官网网址檒l have a chance to vote at their annual general meetings on Feb. 1.

B次元官网网址淭he Vancouver Folk Fest has been a part of the fabric of the City for decades, and itB次元官网网址檚 been an incredibly emotional and hard decision for the Board to recommend that the festival end. We looked for ways to continue, but in the end, none of the available options worked,B次元官网网址� board vice president Philip Hemming said.

The folk festival has run in Vancouver for 45 years.

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