Home County festival in London, Ont. cancelled for 2024, future uncertain

The festival season in London, Ont., will be a little quieter next summer with the cancellation of the Home County Music and Art Festival.

The cancellation is specific to the July 2024 event but the festival’s future beyond that is unclear as organizers assess its “ongoing viability.”

The Home County Folk League (HCFL) board of directors announced the decision Thursday, pointing to “increased event costs, challenges in maintaining extensive volunteer resources, and reduced access to funding” as factors in the decision.

The board also refers to “a dramatic shift in the festival’s core participants and supporters” since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We know this cancellation is going to be met with great sadness for all the passionate Home County fans. As a Board, we had to set aside personal feelings and recognize our current financial situation and difficulties in recruiting and retaining volunteers would make holding the festival irresponsible,” said HCFL chair Sara Lanthier.

“This was not a decision made lightly.”

In a statement, the board said that the results of a comprehensive assessment will be shared at its general meeting in November.

“Once we have input from our membership, we’ll be in a position to determine next steps and plan for both the near- and long-term,” said Lanthier.

The Home County Music and Art Festival, formerly known as the Home County Folk Festival, began in 1974. Organizers say the three-day event in Victoria Park is the city’s “longest running summer festival.”