Backwoods at Mulberry Mountain’s organizers cited increased expenses and changes in the market as having contributed to the decision.
Those looking forward to attending Backwoods at Mulberry Mountain in Ozark, Arkansas from June 6-9 have started their week with unfortunate news. Not long after announcing this year’s lineup, the festival has officially been canceled as a combination of factors have made it impossible to execute as planned.
Backwoods Chairman and Executive Producer Will Royall first broke the news in an internal email. “It is with deep sorrow that Backwoods Music Festival must cancel its 2024 festival this year, as we no longer see a path to hosting a successful event at this time,” it reads. “We have appreciated working with you over the years.”
This morning, April 29, the festival issued a public statement. It elaborates, “Rising production costs, labor, and overall business expenses, coupled with a change in consumer buying patterns and economic conditions post COVID have rendered production of the 2024 event impossible at this point to sustain.”
Backwoods has shared that it will refund all ticket purchases for the 2024 event. “We will begin processing refunds for ticket holders in the coming days for those who have purchased tickets,” the statement closes out.
Backwoods at Mulberry Mountain inaugurated in 2008, originally under the name Backwoods Bash as a Memorial Day Weekend fundraiser for school supplies for children in Prue, Oklahoma. It ran as a nonprofit for seven years until courting investors ahead of the 2015 event, rebranded as Backwoods Music Festival, which billed notable EDM talent like Porter Robinson, ODESZA, and Infected Mushroom. The 2024 headliners would have included the likes of Illenium, CloZee, and Thievery Corporation.
At the time of writing, there is no indication whether Backwoods at Mulberry Mountain will attempt a return in 2025 or any year thereafter. EDM Identity will provide additional details as they become available.
