Can Vancouver Folk Music Festival be saved? Organizers exploring new options
The fate of the Vancouver Folk Music Festival isn't sealed just yet, according to organizers.
The festival's board revealed Thursday that several interested parties have come forward with proposals to help keep the annual event alive, and that members are exploring all options.
"This is very encouraging and the board is actively engaging with these parties to see how these possibilities might be turned into reality," reads an update on the festival's website.
"At this stage in our discussions, we must keep the details confidential."
The board has also pushed back its Annual General Meeting – during which members were expected to vote to dissolve the Vancouver Folk Music Festival Society – from Feb. 1 to March 1.
Last week's announcement of the festival's cancellation was a major blow to the event's many fans, some of whom have been attending for decades.
Board president Mark Zuberbuhler blamed "massively increased costs" for the 2022 event's failure to break even, despite years of anticipation after the 2020 and 2021 festivals were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dissolving the society would have allowed organizers to pay off the festival's remaining bills.
In Thursday's update, the board revealed the event's financial situation has "long been untenable," which it blamed in part on the Vancouver Folk Music Festival's long-established opposition to corporate funding.
"As views began to change on this, it became apparent that we were far behind the curve in building relationships with potential corporate funders in comparison to other festivals," the board wrote.
"We know that these relationships take years to build before substantial funding can be secured."
Should the festival continue, organizers said they would ensure it is "sustainable and able to operate in the new reality that we face."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.