A Northumberland music festival will return next year after a mammoth crowdfunding campaign raised more than £85,000.
Lindisfarne Festival, which has been nominated for two UK Festival Awards this year, was in danger of not going ahead in 2020, as the organisers needed to raise enough money up front to cover the price of running the event, due to increased competition for funding and rising costs.
The independent three-day festival's organisers launched a make-or-break Crowdfunding campaign, which had to reach its £85,000 target by October 31 to secure the festival's return next year. The campaign offered early-bird tickets, merchandise and VIP experiences to those who committed their cash.
The campaign was successful, with 353 supporters raising £85,781 by the Halloween deadline. It means Lindisfarne Festival is set to go ahead in Beal, near Holy Island, on September 3-6, 2020.
Posting on Facebook, Lindisfarne Festival's organisers thanked supporters. They wrote: "OMG!!!! You've only gone and smashed it.
"We've done it! We've actually done it.
"THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU."
Located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, on the coast overlooking Holy Island , the three-day camping festival sees over 200 DJs, bands, comedians and artists perform across 10 unique marquee venues. Past headliners include Ocean Colour Scene, Peter Doherty, The Levellers, Happy Mondays and The Fratellis to name a few. With partners such as BBC Music Introducing and Musicians Against Homelessness, the festival also provides a platform for up and coming musicians.
Speaking in the final week of the crowdfunding campaign, Conleth Maenpaa, Lindisfarne Festival founder, said: "Each year we have seen the festival develop and evolve and this year’s event was nothing short of incredible.
"It was everything we wanted it to be and provided great opportunities to local traders and performers as well as raising money for some great causes, such as homeless charity Crisis – who we hope we can continue to support in future years.
"We’ve got a very small but relentless team, who have poured their hearts and souls as well as personal time and money into the festival over the last couple of years and we’re not going to give up on our dream without a fight. We’re definitely not quitters, but we have sacrificed a lot to get this far and there comes a point when we have to lay it all on the line and openly ask for support so that we can continue to put on an event that we’ve all come to love."
