Popular music festival Jerk Jam will not come to Southampton in 2025.

Organisers of the event, which made a triumphant comeback in 2024 after being cancelled due to high winds battering the site in July 2023, have announced 'with a heavy heart' that it will no longer take place this summer. 

They promised full refunds and to put on a series of other events instead of the flagship festival, which promises all the delights of Notting Hill. 

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A spokesperson said: "For reasons out of our control and with a heavy heart, we are saddened to announce that Jerk Jam 2025 will no longer be taking place.

"Full refunds will be issued immediately.

"With the increasing cost of infrastructure and services, the directors will struggle to cover the cost and time sacrificed by themselves and many others. We’ve considered further investment but the right people haven’t come along, and we don’t want to change our ethos.

"We stepped into a post pandemic world that has seen many festivals fall by the way side, due to spiralling costs and many businesses get greedy with their pricing. It’s a roll of the dice we are unable to take this year and raising our prices to the level of commercial and corporate events is something we refuse to do.

"We are proud to have brought the Jerk Jam Festival back from the ashes after COVID-19.

"Moving from our old home to the new location in Botley, despite being hit incredibly hard with gale force winds in 2023 we braved the hardships to come back this past summer and put on one of our best ever shows with a crowd of over 3000 people!

"We will still be putting together events next year so stay tuned to socials but for now the flagship festival, our big show, is taking a hiatus."

(Image: Jerk Jam) From humble backyard beginnings, Jerk Jam evolved into a fully fledged celebration of Caribbean food, music and good vibes.

From reggae to ska, plus jungle and more, local, national and international artists and DJs descended on Pinkmead Farm in Botley.

Festivalgoers enjoyed the variety of music, free activities, a funfair for the kids, live performances, and street food traders.