12/01/2019
North Lancs Soul Festival announcement - Year Out
Following continuous discussions since this year’s festival and after twelve years of staging the North Lancs Soul Festival (NLSF), it is with some regret that we have decided to take a break for 2019.
There are several reasons for this both personal and professional but mainly we want to take this opportunity and the time this break allows us to reconsider the Festival’s relevance to today’s Soul music scene.
Many of you will be aware that we have had to relocate the event several times over the past few years forcing continually and unwanted changes to the programme. Due to the loss of local funding that used to help underwrite the festival, we have also had to introduce a charge to help cover the festivals costs and as a result, attendances have fluctuated and mainly we feel that during this time the event has lost something.
There are those still attending who would love to see the event go back to how it’s original format of smaller, more intimate venues with collectors spinning their rare records. There are those who believe in original vinyl only and want only Northern soul. Alternatively, the modern music fans are happy with downloads and electronic files - and trying to find a way to please everyone has become exhaustingly difficult.
So, there will be no NLSF in 2019.
However, we would like to take this opportunity to thank every one of you who has attended and supported this festival, especially those who have stuck by us and the event over the years. We simply could not have got this far without you and we salute you wholeheartedly and most sincerely.
We recently wrote to all our Festival Collective DJs to inform them of our decision and to thank them profusely for their dedication, their commitment and their unquestioning support. During 2019, we will consult with them on the possible shape of any future NLSF.
Our social media pages will stay open for the foreseeable future and relevant information will be posted and shared to keep you updated.
Thanks again for all your support
Jason & Pete