Merritt's Rockin River the latest B.C. music festival to cancel 2023 event
A country music festival in the B.C. Interior is the latest to announce the cancellation of its 2023 event.
Organizers of the Merritt-based Rockin River Music Festival announced Friday in a post on their website that the event would not return this year.
While the post does not provide a lot of detail about the specific reasons for the cancellation, it cites "economic obstacles" that organizers were unable to overcome.
The Vancouver Folk Music Festival and the Squamish Constellation Festival also cited economic troubles when announcing their own cancellations earlier this month.
Organizers of both of those festivals recently told The Canadian Press that their industry underwent seismic changes after the COVID-19 pandemic ground live music to a halt in 2020.
Costs rose for equipment such as fencing and stages as inflation kicked in and some suppliers went out of business during the pandemic. At the same time, vendors began demanding payments upfront, both festivals said.
In British Columbia, the music festivals also face competition from a bustling local film industry that pays top dollar for equipment such as portable toilets and showers.
When it announced its cancellation, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival Society said it intended to dissolve itself and end the event permanently.
Since then, several interested parties have come forward with proposals to keep the folk festival alive, and the society has postponed its Annual General Meeting in order to explore its options.
In their statement, Rockin River organizers did not say whether the event would return in the future, but did leave the door open to doing so.
"We want to thank the City of Merritt, who has always welcomed us with open arms, the incredible artists, staff and most importantly – you, the fans, many of whom have been loyal since year one," the statement concludes. "We hope to see you again soon."
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.