WOWFest - CANCELLED 2012

This event has been cancelled.

The event organisers have issued the following statement:-

Following consultations and full consideration, it is with heavy hearts and much regret that we have been forced to announce the postponement of WOWfest 2012. Putting the festival together, in what is proving to be a very challenging year and with damage inflicted by anti-festival lobbyists, was more difficult than we anticipated. We have spent the last year fighting hard to establish and keep WOWfest in the calendar. Unfortunately circumstances have dictated that this is no longer possible to achieve in 2012.

Although great confidence had initially been shown by the Isle of Wight Council to grant a Premises License for 18,000 rising to 22,000 capacity over a three year period and to further grant permission to run an event of that size under the Isle of Wight Act there are many forces trying to prevent the event happening. There is no doubt of the WOWfest team operational capabilities to deliver such an event. However, the Isle of Wight Act conditions imposed by the council on the 18th May required a lump sum payment of over £140,000 for Council and Emergency Services to be brought forward to the 31st May. The conditions also stipulated the need for a financial bond of an unspecified and potentially unlimited amount to be made to the Isle of Wight Council.

WOW Festivals Ltd informed the Isle of Wight Council and responsible authorities, before the payment deadline for over £140,000 under the Isle of Wight Act fell due, that WOWfest would revert to run a downsized event – under the size (5,000) at which the Isle of Wight Act is invoked. However, the Isle of Wight Council rejected a minor variation application to voluntarily reduce the capacity and hours of operation on our Premises Licence and the Police decided to call for a full licence review, at the start of the Jubilee weekend. Undue and untimely pressure has resulted in one of the organisers suffering a stroke over the Jubilee weekend. The planned event for 2012 will need to be postponed. Alternatives have been briefly assessed but time is against us and therefore the only sensible decision is to cancel WOWfest 2012 on the Isle of Wight and look to the future in 2013.

Ticket holders for WOWfest 2012 will be refunded.

Whilst we will be in touch with them all separately, in addition to this announcement, we want to openly express our deepest regrets to the artists and to thank all the people, suppliers and contractors who worked so hard with us to try and pull off what has proved to be a monumental task when there have been so many people determined to destablise the event with negative publicity and actions. We also want to send a huge thanks to the partners and people who stuck by us and we are so sorry that we can’t fulfill what we set out to do in 2012.

WOW Festivals Ltd

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WOWfest is a new all ages eco-event offering music, culture, workshops, food, dance, cabaret, burlesque and theatre from Friday 17th until Sunday 19th August 2012 at St Martins Down, Shanklin, on the Isle of Wight with a maximum capacity of 18,000, increasing to 20,000 in 2013 and 22,000 the following year.

Line-up

A world music line-up offering upbeat global sounds from across various continents across five stages is headlined by UB40, Paul Oakenfold, Danny Rampling, Junior Marvin, and Maxi Priest. Plus Bez's Acid House Night, Smith & Mighty, 808 State, Norman Jay, Soul II Soul Sound System, Marshall Jefferson, Junior Marvin, Aswad, Misty in Roots, Black Roots, Macka B, Talisman, The Beat, The Selecter, Neville Staple, Bad Manners, Mano De Dios, Terrakota, Baka Beyond, Joe Cang, The Dennis Rollins Velocity Trio, Gregg Kofi Brown, Sarah Jane Morris, and more.

Tickets

An adult weekender is priced at £140, an Islander (Island postcodes only) weekend ticket is priced at £120. A student (13-17 years) weekender ticket is priced at £95, and children aged 12 yrs & under (limited numbers) are free. An adult camping pass is priced at £20, camping for students and children is free. A car parking weekend permit is priced at £30 with a day permit priced at £15. Day tickets are priced at £75 for adults (limited numbers), other options are free. A campervans space of 7x4m for campervan & adjacent space for family tents, is priced at £100 per space. Please note separate pitch to be purchased for family tents in addition to c/van. Occupant of campervan or adjacent family tent, £20 per person.

Late night

After midnight, WOWfest 2012 will be transformed into a sensual vision of Burlesque and cabaret, encompassing the romance & razzmatazz of turn of the century France whilst the WOW Club Night dance-floors will swirl into nostalgia with the great movements such as Soul, Reggae & Ska, 70′s Disco, or take the house down with total Bristol Yeyo cool DJ sets, to bring each night of the WOWfest Global Party to a close.

Green policy

The festival will aim to be as green as possible and has set up a sustainability plan, with waste and water initiatives, and aims to be totally solar powered.

Green travel

WOWFest will offer attendees the chance to travel to WOWFest without a car and stay for longer with camping expected to be available for up to 7 days. The Sunshine Trail cycle track goes to the festival site from Shanklin station and links tracks from Ryde and Cowes. There will be a bus station on site, and links from Hovertravel and Red Funnel ports for those without a car.

Charity

WOWFest will also support charities, giving back to where it draws down its inspiration – be that the Island, Africa, Caribbean, Latin-America or the far East.

More information will be here when available.

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