After 55 years, the Regina Folk Festival has been shut down.
Since 1969, the Regina Folk Festival has been a summertime staple in the Queen City.
It all came to an end Tuesday when the festival’s board of directors announced its cancellation, including the upcoming one in August.
In a statement posted to its website, the board cited the reasons for its decision.
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“Ongoing financial pressures from the pandemic, including stagnant or reduced funding, rising costs, and declining ticket sales, have created obstacles we can no longer overcome.”
Music industry expert Eric Alper says the situation isn’t unique to Regina, with festival cancellations happening across the continent.
“It’s not so much that it’s Regina specifically, but in the last three years, the music industry has seen hundreds and hundreds of music festivals across North America go under for various reasons. A lot of it has to do with just the rising costs of everything.”
While it may be a larger trend, Alper is concerned about the ramifications the cancellation could have for the city.
“Every dollar that is spent from a tourist in this city is spent on hotels, and gas, and food, and parking, and the festival also hires hundreds and hundreds of people.”
Those who have already bought tickets are being told to keep an eye on their inbox for refunds over the next few business days.
— with files from Marija Robinson
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