LouFest 2018 Cancelled: Organizers Cite Finances, Media, Weather

ST. LOUIS, MO — LouFest 2018 has been canceled, the organizers posted to Twitter early Wednesday. The two-day food and music festival had been slated for this weekend. The organizers blamed financial hurdles, loss of sponsors, scheduling issues, poor media coverage, past debt and the weather.

"We know this is a great disappointment to many and that there has been wide speculation around our event," managing partner Mike Van Lee wrote in a letter addressed to St. Louis, explaining that many vendors and artists had demanded up-front payments they couldn't make.

The organizers blamed "unfortunately timed media coverage," likely referring to this story from St. Louis Public Radio published last week. That story cited some vendors already threatening to back out for lack of payment.

"We are 100% good to go - load-in has already kicked off!" LouFest nonetheless Tweeted soon after the story came out. "We've seen what's out there and we've heard your concerns, but everything is going as planned, and we're pumped for next weekend."

That obviously changed over the following days.

Lee said 2018 pre-sale ticket volume had been "fantastic" but that the festival relies on walk-ups to be financially successful, adding "the fickle St. Louis weather has made us extremely nervous."

The remnants of Tropical Storm Gordon are expected to soak the St. Louis area this weekend with up to six inches of rain.

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Lee said that while the festival doesn't currently have money to issue refunds, Front Gate Tickets, a festival ticketing company owned by Live Nation and Ticketmaster, will be "stepping up to refund all fans in full while we work to repay our debts."

Read the full letter here.

Some vendors have taken to Twitter to express their disappointment in the cancellation, asking anyone with unexpected free time this weekend to consider supporting the local restaurants and businesses who have now lost their spots.

Schlafly Tap Room will hold a special tasting from noon to 4 p.m. for displaced festival goers. You can get 10 percent off tasting tickets by entering the code "LOUFEST18" when you buy tickets here.

"LouFest ticketholders can also pick up a free commemorative can by showing their ticket stub, wristband, or receipt at either one of our brewpub location starting on Friday," Schlafly said. "While supplies last and limit of one per ticket-holding customer."