Organizers pull the plug on event meant to fill void of cancelled Home County festival
Following a week of controversy surrounding one of London’s longest-running festivals, another festival coming in to fill the void left by the cancellation of the Home County Music and Arts festival has suffered the same fate.
The festival that hoped to fill the void this summer was the London Music and Art Festival. Led by Family Shows Canada, organizers backed out after a disagreement with the Home County Folk League.
Family Shows Canada organized the new event after Home County decided to suspend its own festival for at least one year.
“They felt that our cooperation wasn't needed. They didn't realize that I was going to hand it back and that was actually the main purpose was for me to take it on and put it back together for this year so they wouldn't lose their vendor base," said Family Shows Canada owner Doug Hillier which company also runs the successful August event, ‘Ribfest’.
The board of directors for Home County said the organization had nothing to do with the London Music and Art Festival that was scheduled for this July.
Home County Treasurer Paul Tomlinson said they met with Hillier earlier this week. He said Hillier was asked to remove any Home County association or likeness from the new festival’s branding.
“Nothing against Mr. Hiller and what he’s trying to do. We wish him every success,” said Tomlinson. “But you can’t affiliate yourself or say that you’re affiliated with us if you’re not affiliated with us.”
Hillier said that wasn’t the intention, adding he will not consider a new festival if Home County decides to come back in 2025
“We now realize that even if we did something late in the year, with different dates, to allow them to come back, there would still be two music festivals in the park. So out of respect, we're not even going to do it at the end of this year like the City will give us," he said.
- With files from CTV News London's Bryan Bicknell
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most Canadians have heard about Freeland's resignation from Trudeau cabinet, new poll finds
The majority of Canadians heard about Chrystia Freeland's surprise resignation from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet, according to a new poll from Abacus Data released Tuesday.
Canadian government announces new border security plan amid Donald Trump tariff threats
The federal government has laid out a five-pillared approach to boosting border security, though it doesn't include specifics about where and how the $1.3-billion funding package earmarked in the fall economic statement will be allocated.
B.C. teacher disciplined for refusing to let student use bathroom
A teacher who refused to let a student use the bathroom in a B.C. school has been disciplined by the province's professional regulator.
Police chief says motive for Wisconsin school shooting was a 'combination of factors'
Investigators on Tuesday are focused on trying to determine a motive in a Wisconsin school shooting that left a teacher and a student dead and two other children in critical condition.
BREAKING 2 B.C. police officers charged with sexual assault
Two officers with a Vancouver Island police department have been charged with sexual assault, authorities announced Tuesday.
Fall sitting bookended by Liberal byelection losses ends with Trudeau government in tumult
The House of Commons adjourned on Tuesday, bringing an end to an unstable fall sitting that has been bookended by Liberal byelection losses. The conclusion of the fall sitting comes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority government is in turmoil.
After investigating Jan. 6, House GOP sides with Trump and goes after Liz Cheney
Wrapping up their own investigation on the Jan. 6 2021 Capitol attack, House Republicans have concluded it's former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney who should be prosecuted for probing what happened when then-President Donald Trump sent his mob of supporters as Congress was certifying the 2020 election.
The world's busiest flight routes for 2024 revealed
If you think planes have got fuller and the skies busier over the past year, you’d be right — especially if you live in either Hong Kong or Taipei.
Prosecutors charge suspect with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO as an act of terrorism
The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare's CEO has been charged with murder as an act of terrorism, prosecutors said Tuesday as they worked to bring him to a New York court from from a Pennsylvania jail.