Hey Neighbour says the cancellation is intended to allow adequate time to secure the necessary artist lineup and funding.
While throngs of festival goers expected a full lineup announcement on Tuesday, music festival Hey Neighbour confirmed that the festival has been cancelled for 2025.
“Rushing the process with current constraints would compromise the very heart of what makes this event special,” said Hey Neighbour CEO, Glen Netshipise, in the statement.
“This difficult but necessary decision allows us the time to build a solid foundation for a spectacular celebration in 2026,” he said.
The statement on Tuesday said the shift is to allow adequate time to secure the necessary artist lineup, funding, and build an experience that truly captures the event’s signature spirit of community and connection.
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Hey Neighbour unable to maintain its high standards
Hey Neighbour has only been held once in 2023.
Their only edition was headlined by Grammy Award winners Kendrick Lamar, H.E.R and Location singer Khalid, setting a high bar for themselves moving forward.
Some people suggested that the ideal artists they could have as a headline after Lamar would be Drake or J Cole.
The festival has evidently struggled to maintain these high standards since it started two years ago.
The three-day festival didn’t take place in 2024, but in December of that year, it announced that the second edition would be hosted in August.
However, in May, the festival issued a statement announcing that it would no longer be a three-day event, but would instead be cut to only two days.
Two months before that, the festival had made headlines and got fans excited with the announcement of Doja Cat as this year’s headline act.
R&B singer Leon Thomas was added to the performers’ list in May, and a few days later, they also announced British rapper Central Cee as another act.
In early July, just weeks before it was expected to take place, Hey Neighbour organisers again rescheduled the festival, this time for December, without providing the actual dates.
The announcement of the cancellation comes after the festival had promised to reveal the December date today, September 30.
“All tickets purchased for the event will remain valid for the rescheduled dates, which will be announced on 30 September 2025, along with the full lineup,” read Hey Neighbour’s statement in July.
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Ticket holders wait
Several ticket holders on social media have expressed their annoyance with the festival’s lack of communication regarding ticket refunds.
Hey neighbour for sure scammed us 😭it’s month end tomorrow dololo announcements #heyneighbourfest
— nkosikazi❤️ (@andy1D_fab) September 29, 2025
@HeyNeighbourFes you guys please just gimme my money back!! Come on. pic.twitter.com/rymFxSpOIY
— Melissa Isaacs (@Mellowz_pls) September 24, 2025
According to some ticket holders, the festival didn’t respond to their emails. However, on Tuesday, the festival announced that it would contact ticket holders directly via email.
Hey Neighbour ticket website e re “server can’t be found” and I still haven’t received my refund. pic.twitter.com/gsq4ebtra4
— Nolo M. (@nolomolekwa) August 26, 2025
“Tickets will also be automatically valid for the next festival, should holders choose to keep them.”
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