Delaware

Firefly Music Festival canceled for second straight year

The Dover, Delaware, festival peaked in 2015, headlined by Paul McCartney and The Killers, with more than 90,000 people in attendance

NBC Universal, Inc.

Firefly Music Festival has officially been canceled for the second straight year, AEG Presents -- the concert's organizer -- announced in a statement Thursday.

The festival, located at the Woodlands at Dover Motor Speedway in Dover, Delaware, typically draws thousands to and has existed for more than a decade.

Despite back-to-back cancelations, AEG Presents Chief Communications Officer Dennis Dennehy left the door open on a possible return sometime in the future.

"We look forward to powering Firefly's lights back on when the timing is right," Dennehy said. "But until then, The Woodlands will continue to host new music events for years to come."

Firefly first launched in 2012 and was later bought by Coachella promoter AEG Presents in 2018. Firefly drew 90,000 people in 2015 --- headlined by Paul McCartney and The Killers.

Other big name headliners over the years include The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Travis Scott, Post Malone, Lizzo and Billie Eilish.

Firefly was postponed for the first time in its history in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It returned the following year but attendance was capped at 50,000 for the four-day festival, and it was moved to September instead of its usual summer dates.

Organizers say they took 2023 off to "recharge" and it was believed the event would return in 2024. There is no official word on the event's 2025 status.

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