Scots music festival Doonhame in Dumfries cancelled as organisers cite 'escalating' costs

A popular Scottish music event has been cancelled this summer due to ‘escalating’ costs.

The Doonhame Festival, held in Dumfries, attracts thousands of visitors each year but has been cancelled for 2024.

The organisers, including co-founder Sandy Sweetman say “escalating” costs and “personal commitments” are behind the reason for the show not going ahead.

Held at the Chricton estate every year, the two-day festival was previously headlined by the likes of Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Gun and the Waterboys.

The locally curated event started in 2019 but was forced into a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Shows took place in 2022 and 2023 but there will be no festival in July this year.

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”.