Morecambe's kite festival not going ahead in 2024

The charity has not ruled out holding the kite festival in future years

The annual Morecambe kite festival will not take place this year, organisers have said.

The Catch the Wind festival has attracted thousands of people to the resort every summer for the last 20 years.

Organisers More Music said the current arts funding climate led them to make the "difficult decision" to not stage it this year.

The charity said it was "not necessarily the end" of the event.

Kathryn MacDonald, executive director of the Morecambe based community music and education charity, said: "The current arts funding climate means that we have had to make the very difficult decision not to produce our beautiful kite flying event this summer.

"We would like to thank everyone who has contributed over the years, to all of the incredible kite fliers, artists, musicians, entertainers, funders, partners, delivery team and everyone who came to support Catch the Wind."

She said the event was a "much-loved highlight of Morecambe's summer calendar" which regularly attracted more than 20,000 people over the weekend.

"We pride ourselves on producing excellent events and that is becoming increasingly difficult in the face of rising costs and we can't prepared to compromise on quality.

"This is not necessarily the end, but if Catch the Wind is to go ahead in future, a new way of making it happen needs to be found."

She added: "Meanwhile More Music will continue to deliver significant and valuable work for communities in the district and the county throughout the year."

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