Major Festival to Relocate and Skip 2025 Edition

The organizers of a major festival, which draws approximately 40,000 attendees, have announced its relocation and confirmed it will not be held in 2025. The World of Music, Arts and Dance Festival (WOMAD), co-founded by Peter Gabriel, has been operating for over four decades and has been situated at Charlton Park near Malmesbury, Wiltshire, since 2007. The organizers stated the event is slated to return “fully charged” in 2026, with further details regarding its new location expected to be disclosed within the coming weeks. Chris Smith, the festival director, expressed their aspiration to remain in close proximity, potentially within Wiltshire. “It’s home for many of us. The people we’re talking to are not far from where we are,” he informed the BBC. Nevertheless, a definitive new site has not yet been secured. “If you look at our industry as a whole – things need to change, we can’t all carry on doing the same thing over and over again. Some of the changes we want to make would be difficult to make in the home we’ve had,” Mr. Smith further commented. He elaborated that the prospective location must be “beautiful, part of the story – it’s got to contribute something to the festival.” During the forthcoming 12-month period, WOMAD events are scheduled globally, with editions planned for Australia, New Zealand, and Spain. In addition to its musical offerings, the festival is recognized for providing workshops and activities tailored for children. The organizers are exploring the possibility of staging a more modest gathering within the UK next year, ahead of its full return in 2026. The event’s organizers extended their gratitude to the personnel at Charlton Park and local residents for their hospitality towards the team throughout the past 17 years. Mr. Smith aimed to “reassure people that this isn’t the end, just a new beginning.”