THE organisers of the Wimborne Folk Festival have cancelled the event in frustration at pubs and other traders “riding on the back” of the event.

The festival attracts up to 25,000 people over a weekend in June, with a programme that includes around 30 bands and 50 traditional dancing groups.

Now the two couples who organise it say they have not had enough financial support from some Wimborne traders at a time when finances are tight.

Maria Bisp, whose husband Brian founded the event in 1980, said: “The pubs are a main concern. Some of them have their own artists performing but they are not actually the festival.

“Some organisations are riding on the back of the festival, and when we were asking for help, they said they couldn’t afford it. We actually felt quite hurt about this.

“At the end of the day you are looking round and thinking ‘they are making major money’.”

This year’s festival cost £35,000 to stage. The money comes from councils, ticket sales to the concerts, stall holders, street collections, programme sales and sponsors.

Mrs Bisp wished good luck to anyone wishing to organise a festival in future but said it would need a new name. She “didn’t think” the decision would be changed.

East Dorset District Council has invited people who want to save the festival to contact Matti Raudsepp Spaces on 01202 886201 or by email .

Cllr Barbara Manuel, lead for communities, thanked the organisers for their “sterling work” and pledged the 2012 level of financial support for 2013.

She said: “In these austere times it shows the council’s commitment that total financial support for the 2012 event was more than £14,000.”

A Facebook group called ‘Save The Wimborne Folk Festival ’ has generated over 1,300 ‘Likes’.

Founder James Marshall, 20, from Wimborne, said he set initially set it up just to show support for the event.

He now hopes to have a small meeting of interested parties in September.

“Hopefully someone will step-in because it’s a great thing for the town,” he said.

  • THE organisers announced the end of the festival on Sunday.

The statement said: “There are several issues that make it difficult to continue but the main reason is the lack of financial support from those people and businesses that make a lot of money on the back of our year round hours of voluntary hard work but give nothing in return.”

  • SEAN McGhee, editor of Rock ’n’ Reel folk magazine, said: “We are always saddened to see the end of established folk festivals, but that said, festivals don’t last forever, and it’d be complacent for people to think they do.

“There’s never been more festivals taking place and we are now reaching saturation point. With the recession, funding cutbacks, etc, something has to give.”