London Music and Arts Festival backs out following backlash over Home County similarities
Festival organizer says similarities in logo, name, were out of respect for the original festival
Recently announced plans for a music festival slated to come to London, Ont., in July have been called off after a less than welcoming response from the organizers of the cancelled Home County Music & Art Festival.
Family Shows Canada (FSC) announced the London Music & Art Festival last week, set to take over Victoria Park from July 12 to 14, 2024.
In a statement released Wednesday, the Home County Folk League (HCFL), the organizers of Home County, said they had not entered into any formal agreements with FSC and raised concern over the similarity in the names, logos and dates of the festival.
As of Wednesday, all mentions of the London Music & Art Festival had been removed from FSC's website.
"I thought this was a good thing. I wanted to help, and I thought they would see that," said Doug Hillier, the owner of FSC, which runs Rib Fest and other downtown London festivals. "I was just trying to save a tradition in the city."
In late 2023, the Folk League announced the cancellation of the 2024 edition of Home County due to funding issues.
Hillier said his intentions were two fold — first, to continue the longstanding tradition started by the HCFL and hand the reins back once Home County returned, but also to ensure the vendors that contribute to the festival didn't move on.
"These vendors have to work every weekend to stay afloat," said Hillier. "They're going to find somewhere else to go if it doesn't happen one year."
"There seems to have been some miscommunication. We have no connection with [FSC's festival] and only found out about its existence on the 9th," said Paul Tomlinson, the HCFL's treasurer. "We do not have any relationship with the gentleman or his organization, and never have."
Members of the Folk League contacted Hillier and were told that an agreement had been made between himself and the HCFL, according to Tomlinson. Hillier told CBC News the talks that lead to the festival's announcement involved a city mediator, but were directed to the wrong member of the HCFL.
"We have received some minimal documentation with us that I would characterize as not really rising to the level of an agreement. Certainly not with us," said Tomlinson, who said the documentation consisted of emails between Hillier and a HCFL board member who did not sign any agreements.
Tomlinson said he had concerns after seeing the similarities between the names and logos of the events, and that those similarities would create a perceived link between the two parties.
Despite those concerns, Tomlinson and the rest of the HCFL wished the best for Hillier's proposed festival before it was ultimately cancelled.
Now that the London Music & Art Festival has been cancelled, Hillier said he plans to look at the viability of running a separate music and industry festival on a different weekend, and with a different name.
"The name we chose was out of respect. It would have been completely transparent," he said. "We don't know if we'll do a festival this year, but definitely next year. If they (HCFL) come back with another music festival, I don't think there will be a need."
The Folk League said they hope to bring the Home County Music & Art Festival back in some capacity.
"We're definitely examining all alternatives for what the Home County Folk League could become," said Tomlinson. "If it can't be a festival, what can it be?"
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