CHAGSTOCK festival has been cancelled this year, organisers have announced today (Tuesday, May 9).

The international music festival on the edge of Dartmoor was scheduled to take place this year on July 21 and 22, with a nursery rhymes and fairy tales theme for 2023, featuring acts such as Mercury Prize nominated headliners Maximo Park, Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, The Eskies, New Crisis & The Fireblockers, Revelation Roots and True Strays. 

Other acts to have taken to the main stage in previous years include Scouting for Girls, Imelda May, Levellers and The Boomtown Rats and The Shires.

The event was also due to have a mobile climbing wall, provided by Adventure Okehampton. 

Festival organiser Simon Ford said: ‘It is with deep deep regret and huge sadness that I have to cancel Chagstock. The struggle to catch up after missing a year due to covid combined with increased competition, escalating costs, the cost of living crisis and lower than expected ticket sales, make it impossible to continue with the event.

‘I can only apologise for any inconvenience and disappointment, the decision was not made lightly. After 16 years it is heart breaking to have to call time, this is not how I wanted to end things. I know this will generate many comments and questions and we may not be able to respond to all of them, please bear with us.’

The organising team can be contacted on [email protected]