With one in two festivals facing climatic hazards in 2026, the situation becomes “critical” for the sector

The crestfallen expressions of the Solidays teams, canceled a few hours before the opening in the middle of a heatwave in June, had set the tone for this risky summer. Nearly one in two festivals suffered from climatic hazards in 2026 and around forty summer events experienced total or partial cancellation, adding to persistent financial difficulties, the National Music Center said on Thursday.

According to the provisional assessment of the 2026 season of festivals - mainly music, but also humor - published by the National Music Center (CNM) and the Ministry of Culture, "among the 998 festivals held over the period, 49% declare having been confronted with natural hazards, i.e. 13 points more than in 2025".

Extreme temperatures, storms and heavy precipitation impacted these events, especially those outdoors, specify the data presented during MaMa, an event combining concerts and conferences held in Paris. By carrying out monitoring during the summer, the CNM identified “more than 40 cancellations of festivals” total or partial, “concerning more than sixty performances which should have taken place between June and August”.

The public establishment recalls that beyond the climate impact, financial difficulties remain the main concern of festivals. More than half of those analyzed present a deficit, in a context marked by an increase in technical and artistic costs, which does not compensate for the overall dynamic of growth in ticketing, underlines the CNM.

“We are reaching a critical situation which is having a serious impact on festivals,” worried the Syndicat des Musiques Excursions (SMA), which brings together around 600 independent structures. According to its own results revealed on Thursday, more than a third of the member festivals that responded finished in the red, with an average deficit exceeding 76,000 euros. Everyone must deal with low cash flow, competition from large gauges and expected increases in insurance contracts.

“We don't have very full pockets, on the other hand we can offer a friendly experience, welcome the public well,” Aurélie Hannedouche, director of the SMA, told MaMa on Wednesday, also calling on independents to “diversify the economic model” so as not to risk losing everything over events lasting a few days. The majority of CNM respondents, however, indicated that their 2027 edition should be able to be held.