"Heavy heart" as Gosport Waterfront Festival 2026 scrapped due to "ongoing illness"
The organisers of a popular music festival have made the “incredibly difficult decision” to scrap the event due to illness.
The Gosport Waterfront Festival was launched in 1999 by the Gosport Borough Council, where it was taken over by volunteers a year later to create a community event with music at its heart.
The festival, which raises money for charities, not only offers live music performances, but also showcases local businesses with market stalls and food and drink offerings.
But the summer event, which spans three days, will not be going ahead this year with the organisers taking to social media today (January 12) saying: “It is with a heavy heart that we need to let you know that Gosport Waterfront Festival will not be proceeding in 2026.
“Due to ongoing illness, it’s simply not possible to move forward with planning and delivering the festival. This has been an incredibly difficult decision and not one taken lightly.
“We want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported GWF over the years – from attendees and volunteers to artists, sponsors, partners, and the local community.”
The post continued by explaining that “health and recovery” are the current priorities.