Barry's Cadstock music festival a victim of its own success

In a heartfelt interview with the organisers of the popular Barry music festival, which, for the first time in 11 years was cancelled for 2023, the Barry and District News were told:

• The event can cost upward of £15,000 to put on;
• The biggest expense goes on stewarding and security, which can cost up to £5,000;
• It is not the Vale of Glamorgan Council's fault, despite the council previously having stumped up the cash to hold the event;
• Plans to make the event more sustainable could include holding it every few years, or making it a one-day event;
• The problem of funding will rear its head every year unless someone permanent comes in to run the event;
• Cadstock is a “beautiful monster” and a victim of its own success.

The news comes as residents desperate for the event to go ahead have created a GoFundMe page in a bid to secure the funding needed, for this year at least.

One resident did point the finger at the council saying: “Barry residents have been let down by our local council who would normally fund the Cadstock festival.

“Due to current cost of living crisis, we the community more than ever need to have something to look forward to.”

However, when we spoke to organisers they said this is not the coucnil’s fault and that the Parks Department, which usually front the money for the event, simply does not have the budget anymore, and that Cadstock has become a “monster”.

Organisers say Cadstock music festival has got too successful after funding issues meant it was cancelled for the first time in 11 years

'A beautiful monster we cannot feed anymore'

Cadstock music festival began as a council initiative to get people more involved with their local green spaces.

At the beginning only 50 people turned up to watch bands play.

However, Cadstock has grown, into what is described as a “beautiful monster” with up to 5,000 people coming to the event every year - some from as far as Newcastle.

The organisers said the event is expensive to run and needs a lot of planning, with Cadstock not ticketed, which means stringent security measures are required.

“We are a victim of our own success and with success comes extreme cost,” said the organising committee.

“Cadstock is a beautiful monster we cannot keep feeding anymore.

“When we started we literally had 50 people come, now we have thousands attending.”

The organisers said security is a big cost, with guards needed around the clock for the multi-day event, as well as stewards needed and expenses on many things including adequate toilets facilities.

“We need £15,000 to £20,000 pounds each year and this will keep increasing,” said the organisers

“Stewarding and security take up 30 per cent of the budget at about £5,000.

“We have to have a lot of security because we are not ticketed and people can bring their own booze. Also, it’s a multi-day event so we have to have security through the night protecting equipment, and we have to pay for a police presence.”

Cadstock, a free music festival held every year in Barry, is hugely popular

Is there a Cadstock champion out there?

Organisers reiterated this problem will happen every year and that ways around it could include reducing the length of the festival, or putting it on every few years instead of trying to guarantee it every year.

Other plans include trying to give Cardstock charitable status, or finding a major sponsor.

All of these options are too late for this year’s event, with organisers saying they need money in place and the ball rolling by middle of May at the latest.

In other ideas to secure the future of the event, organisers said: “Either (the council) say Cadstock is worth having its own budget, or Barry Town Council look to incorporate it as part of their events schedule, or someone come forward to be its champion.

“At the moment, for this year, none of that is on the cards.”

One thing organisers did say was that they were hugely grateful for the love the town had shown for the event, and that any fundraising efforts that can’t be used for this year’s event, will roll over to next year.

To support the fund to save Cadstock, go to GoFundMe at https://www.gofundme.com/f/cadstock-free-music-festival-cadoxton-barry?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_content=undefined&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer&utm_term=undefined