Poor ticket sales, calendar clashes, budgetary constraints and fierce competition have contributed to a wave of cancellations in rock festivals. But it is often the weather that sounds the death knell for an open-air festival - leaving the best made plans and good intentions, literally sinking into the mud.
Now organisers of the 2012 Cambridge Rock Festival - Spring Edition have told disappointed ticket buyers that this weekend’s three day event has been cancelled.
The event promised classic rock and blues at the Cambridge Road site. The anticipated line-up included Martin Barres’ New Day, Verden Allen & Softground and The Mick Ralphs’ Blues Band.
Festival Promoters had this to say, “It is with deep regret that The Cambridge Rock Festival has had to cancel it’s Spring Edition Festival, which should have taken place 27-28-29 April (this coming weekend). Due to adverse weather conditions preventing the infrastructure being installed”.
Freak weather has struck outdoor festivals before, with freak storms, floods and tornado-like winds:
· A stage collapse caused by an extreme storm at Pukkelpop Festival Belgium in 2011 claimed 5 lives and at least 70 others were injured
· Strong winds caused a stage collapse at the Bearded Theory Festival in 2009 - two people were admitted to hospital
· Yorkshire-based festival ‘The Beacons’ was cancelled in 2011 due to flooding
The Cambridge Rock Festival organisers still hope to stage a successful summer festival on the same site, at Haggis Farm, Barton near Cambridge UK on 2-5 August. The line up already includes Tygers of Pan Tang, Caravan and Mostly Autumn.
Cambridge Rock Festival say they are looking at a method to extend the validity of the Spring edition tickets for another event and ask customers to keep their tickets and await further announcements.
http://cambridgerockfestival.co.uk/
