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A MAJOR Scots festival has been axed this year leaving fans gutted at the announcement.
Held in Edinburgh’s Royal Highland Showgrounds, Connect Festival has said today it will pause for one year to “take the time” to “build the next edition” of the event.
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Billed as the music festival for those who don’t particularly enjoy the chaos of TRNSMT or T in the Park – this would have been the third year of the relatively new gig.
Instead, Connect’s location will be repurposed for the Edinburgh Summer Sessions where artists such as Becky Hill and Catfish and the Bottlemen are set to perform later this year.
Organisers DR Concerts shared the tough news on Facebook tonight as they turn their attention to hosting the capital’s Summer Sessions in August.
The post read: “We’ve decided to take a break with Connect Music Festival in 2024 to take the time to build the next edition of the festival; to make sure it flourishes, evolves, and continues to offer wonderful experiences for all the fans.
“As the venue was so well received, is very accessible, and was a delight for those attending the two most recent editions of Connect – as well as for the stunning concerts with The Killers and Paolo Nutini – we will in the meantime continue hosting Edinburgh Summer Sessions at the same location on the Royal Highland Showgrounds.
“So far, Becky Hill and Catfish and the Bottlemen have been announced with supporting lineups and more days to be added soon.
“We hope to deliver a similar experience at these shows which, in the future, will sit alongside further editions of Connection Festival – utilising the grounds and excellent facilities that are quite unique for an outdoor event.”
Loyal fans of the Connect Festival were gutted by the news and took to social media to share their views.
One wrote: “Best of luck on your sabbatical. Only around for a short time but your lineups were always streets ahead of everyone else. Recharge and come back fighting.”
Another said: “Will miss this festival. Get it back asap.”
A third added: “Sad to hear. 2022 was an outstanding lineup, 2023 not so much but had high hopes for the next one.”
It comes as another popular Scottish music festival was AXED after five years due to “escalating costs” making hosting the event “unsustainable.”
Organisers of Doonhame Festival, in Dumfries, announced they have made the “difficult decision” to not hold the music event this year.
We told last year music festivals across Scotland were dying because of the cost of living crisis, according to organisers.
Bosses have had to call off bashes due to poor ticket sales as punters endure pressure on pay.
MugStock festival, used to take place at Mugdock Country Park outside Glasgow.
It was due to be held in the grounds of Strathallan Castle in Auchterarder, Perthshire, the site of the last T in the Park with Scots rockers Idlewild hand-picked to top the bill.
But despite achieving its “best-ever sales”, the event has been “postponed” to August this year.
Out East was also to take place at Dalkeith Country Park in Edinburgh, featuring Faithless, Sister Sledge and Goldie.
But organisers scrapped it in June 2023 due to “an incredibly tough time in events” and “escalating production and venue costs”.
Scots music festival Doune the Rabbit Hole was cancelled by organisers a month before leaving bands and fans fuming.
Festival bosses said: “We’re so sad to say that this is definitely “it” for DTRH, we won’t be back, we can’t be back.”
Read more on the Scottish Sun
And an inaugural festival on a remote Scottish island featuring a host of megastar acts was axed with days to go.
Bosses blamed a lack of ticket sales and other challenges for not being able to deliver the three-day Midnight Sun fest in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis.
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