Since 2019, 204 festivals have disappeared in the UK, with 72 cancellations occurring in 2024 alone, according to the Association for Independent Festivals (AIF). The report highlights that many events were lost due to COVID-19, and rising costs have contributed to the decline. AIF CEO John Rostron emphasized the importance of the festival sector for local economies and called for government intervention, specifically a temporary VAT reduction from 20% to 5%, to help save struggling events. Similar trends are observed in the US, with several electronic music festivals also canceling in 2024.