Desert Daze 2024 has been canceled due to “rising production costs and the current volatile festival market,” the event’s organizers have announced.
“As an independent festival, an increasing rarity in today’s festival market, Desert Daze is run by a small team of people who love live music and this community,” a social statement reads in part. “Unfortunately, due to rising production costs and the current volatile festival market, it is no longer possible to execute the weekend as planned.”
In a separate statement to the Los Angeles Times, festival founder Phil Pirrone further cited economic concerns. “We tried everything to avoid this, but this is a tough year for everybody. That goes from groceries all the way to production costs,” he said. “I think it goes beyond the music industry. I think just everything is too expensive right now. You know the cost of putting on an event, whether you’re a small festival or a big festival, nobody’s immune to it right now. If you compare the cost of putting on a festival even a few years ago, line by line, you’re just like, wow.”
Topped by Jack White, Cigarettes After Sex, Alex G, The Mars Volta, and Thundercat, Desert Daze 2024 was originally slated to go down in Lake Perris, California from October 10th to 13th. It had marked the festival’s return after taking a hiatus in 2023.
— Desert Daze (@desertdaze) August 30, 2024
