Edinburgh Festivals Cavalcade cancelled after promoter quits

Promoter David Todd pulled the plug on the Edinburgh Festivals Cavalcade despite winning a grant from the city council only weeks ago.

The local authority had forced him to relocate the event, which had attracted crowds of up to 250,000 in its heyday on Princes Street, to Holyrood Park in the last two years. The council had been keen to keep the event at Holyrood in order to reduce the expense of widespread road closures and diversions.

But Mr Todd told the council last week he had decided not to continue running the event, which featured around 3,000 performers, because of other interests.

Council leaders said the decision had been made too late to find another organiser for this year's event but discussions would take place over the next few months about planning a new parade.

The 48,233 grant earmarked for the Cavalcade will be ring-fenced to help get a revamped event off the ground next year, effectively doubling the amount of funding available. The demise of the Cavalcade comes two years after the axe fell on Fringe Sunday, the biggest free event at the Festival, after almost 30 years, because of funding problems.

The Cavalcade had initially been moved to accommodate the city's tramworks two years ago. The same year saw crowds banned from watching the traditional end-of-festival fireworks display from Princes Street for the same reason.

Last year saw Britain's largest open-air jazz concert, which had been traditionally staged in Princes Street Gardens at the start of the festival season, cancelled after the council struck a deal with a major Fringe promoter to run a new venue in the beauty spot.

The Cavalcade had been dogged by sponsorship problems in recent years, as well as a reluctance by Fringe acts to fully embrace the event, instead preferring to showcase their talents on the arenas at The Mound and on the Royal Mile.

Mr Todd insisted the main reason for standing down was to concentrate on his job as a warden at a spiritual retreat in Millport, in Ayrshire.

He added: "The Cavalcade has been a great family event and has involved thousands of people over the years. I feel it is time for a complete re-think, but sadly I am not in a position to undertake this work myself, due to other commitments."However, I am confident that a fresh look may create a wonderful new event for 2012 which will continue to enhance Edinburgh's international reputation as a premier festival and events city."

Mr Todd was understood to be unhappy that the event would not be moved back to Princes Street, where huge crowds had flocked.

Steve Cardownie, festivals and events champion at the city council, said: "I don't believe that was an issue in him stepping down. I thought the event worked well in Holyrood Park; there were a lot more vantage points for people to watch the parade from and we thought it was a success there.

"However this allows us to draw breath, speak to the festivals about what they would like to see happen next year, and decide whether we want to bring in another organiser and what form the new event might take."