4 September2024 | Image: KALLIDA Festival Archive

The beloved UK festival KALLIDA has confirmed it won’t be gracing 2024 with its unique blend of immersive production and soundsystem culture in a heartfelt announcement. The independent festival crew took to their social media accounts to share the news, citing the increasing difficulty of securing a grand mansion willing to host their all-night revelry.

"Each year it gets harder and harder to find a huge mansion that lets us throw a party till 6am, and this year we decided that we wouldn’t be doing another edition of KALLIDA," the team revealed.

Despite the hiatus, the KALLIDA collective reassured fans that this is not the end. "This isn’t the end of KALLIDA as a collective, or as a group of friends," they wrote, hinting at new projects on the horizon. "Although one door closes, there is always space for new projects to grow, so let’s see what the future holds."

Reflecting on their journey since its inception in the summer of 2015, the festival’s founders expressed gratitude and nostalgia. "It’s been an honour bringing everyone together and an amazing journey from start to finish. Seeing all the friendships and relationships forged over the years has been truly beautiful." They acknowledged the countless individuals and communities that contributed to the festival's magic, from the crew and artists to the steadfast supporters and revelers.

The 2023 KALLIDA festival, held at a secret location in North Devon, continued its tradition of supporting noble causes, particularly through fundraising efforts for the Ugandan LGBTQ+ community in collaboration with the Nyege Nyege collective. This spirit of solidarity and inclusivity has been a hallmark of KALLIDA's ethos.

The announcement echoes the sentiments of other intimate UK festivals facing similar challenges, such as Field Maneuvers, which announced its final edition in 2024 "in its current form." The landscape for boutique festivals is undeniably shifting, but the resilience and creativity of these communities offer a glimmer of hope.

As we bid a temporary farewell to KALLIDA, we hold onto the memories and the hope that this pause will be a prelude to an even more spectacular return in 2025. The spirit of KALLIDA—its passion, creativity, and community—remains unyielding. Until then, the KALLIDA gang leaves us with this poignant message: "You will forever be in our hearts and our memories."

The KALLIDA crew recently took over the closing day of Field Maneuvers festival on August 18, perhaps indicating a chance of something more to come. In a heartfelt post, they shared, “Big love for letting us close Sunday, we came with our crew and had it out, no frills, just straight bangers all weekend. Love to all theField Maneuversteam that have been doing this party for 10+ years. FM felt like home, and it was a honour to be part of the family.”