Woodstock 50 has officially been called off

The festival was initially announced in December 2018 at the original site of Woodstock's iconic 1969 event.

In April tickets for the event were put on hold after organisers failed to obtain a necessary permit for the festival. Despite the setback, organisers still claimed the festival was going ahead, with Jay-Z, Miley Cyrus, The Killers, Halsey, Run The Jewels, Maggie Rogers, and many others set to perform.

Shortly after Woodstock 50 funders Dentsu Aegis Network announced that the event was cancelled, writing, "we don’t believe the production of the festival can be executed as an event worthy of the Woodstock Brand name while also ensuring the health and safety of the artists, partners and attendees."

The organisers still denied reports of the event being cancelled, and managed to find new investors in May.

A month later organisers had to begin searching for a new location after the Watkins Glen motor racing venue site in New York pulled out. This week it was revealed that they were attempting to move the festival to Maryland’s Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Alongside news of a new location, the likes of Jay-Z, Miley Cyrus, The Raconteurs, Pussy Riot, The Lumineers, Dead & Company, and John Fogerty withdrew from the festival lineup.

It was also reported that Woodstock 50 had turned from a three-day event to a one-day festival, and that the tickets would be complimentary. The artists set to perform had also been released from their contracts, meaning organisers would've had to put together a new lineup.

BBC has confirmed that Woodstock 50 has been cancelled. Co-founder Michael Lang said in a statement, "We are saddened that a series of unforeseen setbacks has made it impossible to put on the festival we imagined with the great line-up we had booked and the social engagement we were anticipating. We thank the artists, fans and partners who stood by us even in the face of adversity."