Major UK music pageant all of a sudden cancelled after organisers make ‘tough choice’
The WOMAD music festival, co-founded by former Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel, was set to come to Kelvingrove Park in Glasgow on July 3 and 4 for the first time but has been cancelled due to low ticket sales
The WOMAD festival has been cancelled(Image: Contributed)
A world-famous music festival established by former Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel, which was due to arrive in Glasgow, has been axed owing to poor ticket sales.
World of Music, Arts and Dance (WOMAD) was scheduled to take place in Kelvingrove Park on Friday July 3 and Saturday July 4, making its debut in the city.
But, this evening (Tuesday, June 2), organiser Glasgow Life has announced that the “difficult decision” has been taken to scrap the event after staging the festival was considered unviable.
A statement revealed that anyone holding a ticket will receive a complete refund and access to reduced-price tickets for the upcoming event at Neston Park, North Wiltshire, on July 23-26.
The festival had pledged to deliver a diverse lineup of established and up-and-coming performers showcasing an extensive array of international music spanning pop, dance, folk, jazz and hip-hop to Glasgow this summer, reports Glasgow Live.
Throughout the last three decades, the festival has been staged in 30 countries, with events hosted in Fuerteventura and Cáceres in Spain, Santiago in Chile and Taranaki, New Zealand, amongst others.
Several of the major acts who have graced WOMAD festivals through the years include Peter Gabriel himself, Glasgow’s own Simple Minds, Australian and New Zealand rock band Crowded House, American R&B and soul singer Macy Gray, rap group De La Soul and English rock outfit Echo and the Bunnymen.
The Glasgow event was set to feature London-based reggae singer and songwriter Hollie Cook, Pakistani instrumentalist Ustad Noor Bakhsh and Stornoway folk-rock trio Peat and Diesel.
A statement on WOMAD’s website states: “Glasgow Life is deeply disappointed to confirm that WOMAD Glasgow, scheduled to take place in Kelvingrove Park on 03 and 04 July, will no longer go ahead. This has been a difficult decision and one that has not been taken lightly. Since announcing the event, Glasgow Life and WOMAD have worked together to bring the world-renowned festival to Scotland for the first time.
“WOMAD Glasgow was an ambitious first edition of a globally respected festival. While audience response to the programme and the vision for the event was extremely positive, ticket sales did not reach the level required to deliver the festival sustainably in its inaugural year. This reflects the challenge of launching a new large-scale event in a competitive and crowded market at this time.
“We know this news will be hugely disappointing, particularly for those who have already purchased tickets, and we sincerely apologise for that. We would also like to thank the many artists, contractors, suppliers, partners and stakeholders who have supported plans for the event over recent months.
“Affected customers will receive a full refund and access to discounted tickets for WOMAD in Neston Park, North Wiltshire 23-26 July 2026. Refunds will be automatically issued within 7 working days.”
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