No Bounds Festival: 'Unmissable' dance festival cancelled amid cost-of-living crisis but 2024 return planned

A popular Sheffield music festival branded 'unmissable' by the national press has been cancelled, with organisers blaming the cost-of-living crisis, but a 2024 return is planned.

No Bounds Festival was last year named 'Best Boutique Festival' in DJ Mag's Best of British Awards for a second time, while a four-star review in the Guardian described it as an 'unmissable date in the dance music calendar'.

It was due to return to Sheffield for a seventh edition in 2023 but organisers announced this week that there would be no festival this year.

They said, however, that it would return in 2024 and that to 'keep the fire burning in the meantime' they would be throwing two 'massive' No Bounds parties over multiple rooms at the festival's 'spiritual home', Hope Works, on Sussex Street, just outside Sheffield city centre, over the weekend of October 13 and 14.

The No Bounds 2023 Big Weekend, they said, would be 'affordable mega raves that deliver the same spirit of No Bounds in a stripped back, but no less massive way'.

Sheffield festival organisers say last year has been 'extremely challenging'

Explaining their reasons for cancelling the 2023 festival, organisers said in a statement: "We have come to the very difficult decision that in order for No Bounds to survive as a festival, to stay true to our artistic vision and to continue to be able to support our wonderful NB community, we must wait until 2024 before we deliver the next full edition.

"The last year has been extremely challenging for many of us, with barriers to funding and a cost of living crisis adding to ever increasing production costs. These reasons and more have led us to the decision of postponing the next full iteration of No Bounds Festival to October 2024."

Advice for people who bought early bird tickets for No Bounds Festival 2023

Early bird tickets for No Bounds Festival 2023 had already been sold, and organisers said all those who had bought them would be given the option to roll over their ticket to 2024 or receive a refund. They are advised to contact Resident Advisor if they have not received an email.

No Bounds Festival 2022 had taken place at an eclectic range of venues across the city, including Sheffield Cathedral and Moore Street Substation, a concrete brutalist landmark just off the ring road.

Tickets for the No Bounds 2023 Big Weekend will be available from Resident Advisor and Skiddle.