Barn On The Farm festival postponed until 2025 due to “financial difficulties”

NME

Barn On The Farm has been postponed until 2025 due to “financial difficulties”, organisers have announced.

This year’s edition of the independent festival had been scheduled to take place at Over Farm in Gloucester between July 4-7.

Today (January 25), however, it’s been confirmed that the event will not be returning until next summer. In a statement, Barn On The Farm thanked fans for their “patience” as it provided an update on the next instalment.

“I’ll cut to the chase, after lots of lengthy discussions we have made the difficult decision to postpone Barn 24, and instead focus our attention on Barn 25, which will take place from the 3rd to the 6th of July 2025,” the message read.

“As you know we’ve been openly vocal about the difficulties that we, alongside many other festivals, have faced over the last year. So rather than rush into another season of planning and be on the rocks financially, we feel it’s better for us to use our time this year to focus on planning 2025 and making a huge comeback.”

Organisers added: “Barn 25 will be the festival we’re all after, and we need this time to make it as sensational as it can be.”

They went on to thank everyone who attended Barn On The Farm 2023, which featured headline performances from Gang Of Youths, Bleachers and Holly Humberstone, as well as sets from the likes of Sigrid, Sam Ryder and Mahalia.

“We loved it and poured everything into it,” the statement continued. “Thank you so much for all the votes around the UK Festival Awards. We are finally the Best Small Festival in the UK!!!!

“We are so proud of our grassroots community, and are ready to champion the new music of tomorrow for years to come.”

Barn 25 🩵 https://t.co/XEQmfOHYwG pic.twitter.com/Tt60hHn3fo

— Barn On The Farm (@BarnOnTheFarm) January 25, 2024

Tickets for Barn On The Farm 2025 will go on sale “soon”, with payment plans on offer and full refunds available until the end of this year.
‌
“We’ll also be offering a discount on tickets for a limited time only, so please pre-register for tickets via our mailing list on our website and we’ll make sure you get that exclusive access,” the message explained.
‌
“As you know the future of independent festivals [is] uncertain but my god do we need them for new music to survive. We hugely appreciate every single one of you who supports us moving forwards. This continues to be your festival and your festival family.”
‌
It concluded: “Keep your eyes on our socials and website for updates, and sign up for ticket registration. Let’s hit 2025 HARD. See you there x.”

John Rostron, Association Of Independent Festivals (AIF) CEO, commented: “Barn On The Farm’s recent announcement is a further warning sign of the difficult conditions facing independent festivals at the moment.

“Festivals are being squeezed by the rise in supply chain costs, and the effects of closures and debt incurred during COVID, meaning they are in a unique, perilous position that threatens the future of almost all but the very biggest operators in the UK.”

• READ MORE: Report shows “disaster” facing grassroots music venues: “The big companies and arenas are now going to have to answer for this”

Rostron continued: “We again call on the Government to expedite a lower VAT rate of 5% on ticket sales for the next three years to create the space for festivals to make it through this severe situation and back to the growth we all enjoyed in outdoor events prior to the pandemic.”

You can find more information about Barn On The Farm 2025 here.

Upon winning the Best Small Festival award recently, BOTF organiser Josh Sanger said that grassroots venues and small festivals provide “a pipeline for the next generation of artists” (via BBC News).

“Without the grassroots music scene, you don’t have the next Lewis Capaldi or the next Hozier or even the names that then go on and headline Glastonbury,” he explained.