Sommo won't go back-to-back with Cavendish Beach Music Festival in 2024

The Cavendish Beach Sommo Festival will be returning next year, but it won't be in peak summer.

The 2024 festival will be held on Sept. 13-14, instead of the weekend following the Cavendish Beach Music Festival in mid-July.

When Sommo was announced last year, some people raised concerns having back-to-back festivals in Cavendish did little to help local businesses. They also worried it could deter families from visiting the area during that time.

The Sommo Festival was billed as "a brand-new music and culinary festival featuring two days of music, food and drink."

Once both events wrapped up, local residents and business owners had the chance to weigh in at a public meeting and discuss recommendations for the next festival season.

Ben Murphy, the CEO of Whitecap Entertainment which produces both Sommo and Cavendish, said the goal has always been to find an annual date that works for the local community and the festival. 

"We decided to try to get another weekend going. So we submitted a few different weekends that we thought might work for us, which really kind of comes down to when we can lock in some talent to come play the East Coast."

At least one of the musical acts has already been booked, Murphy said.  

Tickets are expected to go on sale in time for the holidays.