AC/DC – Bonfest Facing Uncertain Future Due To Rising Costs
June 27, 2023, a year ago
Almost 10,000 AC/DC fans attended the 2023 edition of Bonfest in Kirriemuir. The event, held since 2006, honors the band’s celebrated frontman Bon Scott.
U.K.’s The Courier reports however that future editions are uncertain due to rising costs to hold the 3-day event.
Bonfest chairman John Crawford says he has been heartened by the turnout at a call to arms on Tuesday as townsfolk and businesses offered ideas to help it remain a huge hit.
“Like many other festivals around the UK, we are pretty much on a knife edge,” said John.
“We need to look at our business model, but I think Kirrie needs Bonfest to survive. The reality is that the costs of staging the event have just gone through the roof. Covid didn’t help but in 2022 we spent £171,000 putting it on and returned £70,000 profit. This year the cost went up to about £220k and we had just £27,000 profit. Even on the Friday morning of this year’s festival we were sitting in the red.”
Bonfest cost organisers DD8 Music around £220,000 to stage this year. Anyone who can offer support to the event should contact DD8 Music manager Scott Ferguson by email at Scott@DD8Music.com.
(Photo – Philip Morris)
