Hatfield music festival still going ahead as Cambridge event cancelled
Folk by the Oak main stage. Picture: Tammy Marlar - Credit: Tammy Marlar
An annual music festival in Hatfield is still set to take place this summer despite a similar event in Cambridgeshire cancelling its 2021 showcase.
Organisers of Cambridge Folk Festival this week confirmed that the event will not take place at Cherry Hinton Hall as planned this July.
“This has been an incredibly difficult decision, and it is not one any of us wanted to make,” said Cllr Anna Smith, executive councillor for communities at Cambridge City Council.
“Despite the government roadmap out of lockdown, a great deal of uncertainty remains over how large-scale summer events would work.
“We still don’t know whether artists will be able to travel internationally and what steps organisers would be required to take to keep the public safe."
Folk by the Oak main stage in Hatfield Park. - Credit: John Andrews
Promoters of Folk by the Oak were saddened by the Cambridge news but reassured their ticket holders that this summer's all-day folk festival in the grounds of Hatfield House on Sunday, July 18 is still scheduled to go ahead.
Folk by the Oak posted on its Instagram page: "Team FBTO were really gutted to hear yet another great festival has had to cancel this year, and wish the team at @cambridgefolkfest all the best for the coming months.
"We know how hard they worked towards their 2021 festival and what a difficult decision this must have been.
"We'd also like to assure our wonderful audience, who we have missed so much, that we remain very optimistic for the summer.
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"Folk by the Oak is incredibly lucky to have a large open-air site that we are able to expand for a socially distanced audience, should that still be necessary come July."
Folk by the Oak 2019 in the Queen Elizabeth Oak Field at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire. - Credit: Alan Davies
The FBTO post on March 19 continued: "Yesterday’s announcement was a sharp reminder of how difficult life has been for everyone in the creative industries in recent months, but the outpouring of support for Cambridge also reminds us of how lucky we are to work in such a supportive industry with such a wonderful community of artists and audiences."
FBTO 2021 is due to feature main stage sets from Seasick Steve, Kate Rusby, Sam Sweeney Band, and Kitty Macfarlane.
Seasick Steve will headline Folk by the Oak 2021 in Hatfield after the 2020 festival was postponed. - Credit: Supplied by Folk by the Oak
Folk-punk six-piece Skinny Lister have been announced for the smaller Acorn Stage.
March 31 is the final day to get tickets at the early bird price.
For more on Folk by the Oak, visit www.folkbytheoak.com
Folk by the Oak 2019 at Hatfield House. - Credit: Alan Davies
