Flagship Camden Town music fest cancelled with two weeks to go
Headliners included Jazzie B, The Jacksons, Norman Jay and The Brand New Heavies
Friday, 30th August 2024 — By Dan Carrier
Jazzie B was among the performers due to play at the fest
MUSIC fans will have to wait 12 months for a grandstand event celebrating Camden Town’s unique music culture – after the organisers of the biggest street festival the area has seen pulled their plans with just two weeks to go.
The Camden Music Festival was slated to take place across the third weekend of September, and headliners included The Jacksons, Alexander O’Neil, Jazzie B, Norman Jay and The Brand New Heavies.
Organised by the Music Walk of Fame team, six different stages were due to be set up on side streets for the event that would have shut Camden High Street from the Tube to the Lock.
Plans were in place for what many critics felt would be a seminal moment in musical history for the neighbourhood.
Organiser Lee Bennett said: “It is with regret that we will have to postpone till 2025. After many discussions and advice from the Met Police as well as other interested parties, given the current climate and timings to deliver a safe, iconic event coupled with the extra costs to do so, this will not allow for the event to be delivered the way we want or need to.”
Plans to possibly reduce the event to a smaller, more intimate scale were looked at but organisers decided it best to keep their powder dry.
Mr Bennett added: “The discussions around scaling back also do not allow for us to deliver something satisfactory or worthwhile for what the repercussions could be.
“Camden Music Festival is committed to consulting with the council and police over the next 12 months to deliver a safe festival that we can all look forward to with their help.
“This type of event has never been done before in the way we intended or want to deliver so we welcome the relationship moving forward and assure you that it will be worth the wait for something we anticipate being part of ours and your annual calendar for many years to come.”
Although the event was free to attend, tickets for VIP areas were on sale and anyone buying them can get a full refund.
Mr Bennett added: “Ourselves and the artists, who will be rebooked, look forward to your support moving forward in what will become an annual celebration of all things Camden and the music we all love.”
