After Voodoo Experience canceled this year’s festival, Buku Festival has done something similar, announcing that their 2023 event will not be happening and that the organizers will be taking an “indefinite break.”
A statement was issued through the festival’s social media, scything that times were changing and that they needed time off.
“From day one, BUKU was created to be something different… a gritty yet colorful event celebrating the progressive subculture of New Orleans. It became a homecoming for the most amazing bunch of beautiful weirdos ever assembled, and in 10 years, we accomplished exactly what we set out to do: we created a community… a community that truly matters.
“But times are changing… and the current model of BUKU needs to take a break. For a myriad of reasons, we’ve decided that the festival will not take place in March 2023. We don’t know exactly what the future will look like – and that’s okay as there is freedom in the unknown– but we know that we will gather again someday, in some form, bursting with creativity and purpose.
“To our BUKREWE, including the fans, staff, vendors, local artists, and the City of New Orleans: we adore you. The DMs and emails we’ve gotten over the years say it all… you got engaged at BUKU, you met all of your friends at BUKU, you were encouraged to start a business at BUKU, BUKU was your last show before going into active duty, you fell in love at BUKU, you raged at BUKU, and you connected with a community free of judgment and full of encouragement at BUKU.
“This isn’t ‘goodbye’ – this is ‘see y’all down the road.’ Until then, keep the BUKU spirit alive, keep visiting New Orleans, keep creating, and keep loving big.”
This year’s edition included headlining sets from Tyler, the Creator, Tame Impala, Porter Robinson, and Rezz.
This decision has left NOLA’s music lovers saddened and confused about the future of music festivals in the city, especially after the impact of COVID on public events.