Forum topic: This year's Palmers Green Festival cancelled

PALMERS GREEN FESTIVAL 2020

The Palmers Green Festival, a substantial event entirely volunteer developed and controlled, is approaching its 13th year in September 2020. Many thousands attended in 2019, contributing significantly to the local economy and its social fabric.

Preparation for the 2020 event has been underway for a number of months, with a further, much more intensive, six months of preparatory voluntary work lying ahead.

In the light of coronavirus and its potential to require the cancellation of large events, the level of uncertainty it brings plus the prospect of it reducing the number of trained volunteers available to help us ensure safety on the day, we have concluded that the very small team does not have the resources to undertake the fast-moving risk management associated with this issue in addition to preparing for all other aspects of the festival. Nor do we wish to invest hundreds of hours of voluntary effort with a risk of the festival being necessarily cancelled. Additionally, our investment is required long before the event, making the financial position precarious were it not to go ahead with all money having been spent.

As a result, we have decided the simplest and safest route is to simply de-risk the position and confirm our intent not to hold the Palmers Green Festival in 2020. This will give the volunteers an annual break and allow stallholders, entertainers and other festival partners the opportunity to avoid making their own investment as well as having sufficient time to make alternate arrangements should they choose.

Festival would appreciate any interest from 3rd sector organisations or volunteers interested in helping lead the event in 2021.