Following much deliberation, organisers have announced that the popular Scottish music festival Doonhame in Dumfries is cancelled this year as a result of ‘escalating’ costs and ‘personal commitments’. The festival is said to be ‘unsustainable’, with organisers stating they have made the ‘difficult decision’ to not hold the event this summer. Hosted at the town’s Chricton Estate, the two-day festival brings thousands of music enthusiasts to Southwest Scotland each year, showcasing an array of local talent and renowned acts like The Feeling, The Waterboys, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Bay City Rollers, Gun and The View’s Kyle Falconer performing in previous years.
Established in 2019, Doonhame is still in its infancy after being put on hold for two years due to the COVID:19 pandemic. Rain did not appear to stop the festival-goers last July as they reveled in all that the four stages, the main arena and the beautiful grounds of the estate had to offer. The weekend was complete with a more relaxed, family-orientated Sunday, with youngsters enjoying activities, music and live performances from Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande tribute acts.
Despite having a successful run in 2022 and 2023, like many grassroot venues, festivals and events in the music industry, it too has fallen victim to spiralling costs. Co-director Sandy Sweetman said that although the previous years were a triumph, it had sadly become too much of a strain to balance ticket prices with the financial upkeep of hosting the festival. Mr. Sweetman said in a statement: “2023 was a hugely positive experience for us with the festival taking shape and finding its format, however balancing ticket price with the rising costs of putting a festival together and looking at our own limited availability to dedicate the necessary time to the project sadly makes it unsustainable.
“Mark and myself cannot be more grateful to all the people who supported us throughout this journey, from the dedicated team who put so much time and energy into helping us throughout the last five years, the Crichton for accommodating us, sponsors and everyone who committed by buying tickets.”
Fans of the festival have expressed their disappointment on social media but hope to see Doonhame up and running again in the near future, with one user commenting: “Sorry to hear this news, a sad loss for the region. It’s a huge task and financial commitment to organise a music festival. Sandy & Co can hold their heads high for all their efforts.”
Another user added: “So sad to hear this news but totally understand your reasons. Thanks for the great memories…I had an absolute blast at every Doonhame Festival I attended. All the best to everyone in the team.”
