Cropredy Convention postponed for second successive year

Annual music festival Cropredy Convention has been postponed for the second time due to the impact of the coronavirus.

Cropredy, which is organised by folk pioneers Fairport Convention, was scheduled to take place across three days in August this year.

However, organisers have said the festival’s future could be in “serious jeopardy” if it went ahead.

Festival director Gareth Williams said: “We’re left with no other choice than to postpone our festival again.

“We have reached the point where we’d need to spend big money but without any certainty we could go ahead.

“The dilemma we are facing is simple – proceed and risk potentially going out of business or postpone for a year and live to fight another day.

“So far, despite over six months of lobbying, the government has failed to support any form of Covid-related cancellation insurance scheme for the festival industry.

“Also, there has been no guidance on what mitigations might be required post Step 4.

“This has made it effectively impossible to plan this year’s event.

“Like the rest of the festival industry, we’ve tried everything we can to keep going but I’m afraid we would be placing Cropredy’s future in serious jeopardy if we were to go ahead.”

Despite not taking place this year, organisers have confirmed details of 2022’s festival, which will take place from Thursday, August 11 to Saturday, August 13, on its usual farmland site on the border of Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire.

The organisers hope the current line-up of acts will be carried forward.

Artists booked to appear this year have provisionally agreed to transfer their bookings to 2022. Highlights are expected to include Trevor Horn Band, Clannad, Steve Hackett’s Genesis Revisited, Richard Thompson and host band Fairport Convention.

Tickets purchased in 2020 and 2021 will be valid for the rescheduled festival and ticket buyers who can’t attend next year will be entitled to a refund.

For more details, visit www.fairportconvention.com