HOMOPHOBIC attitudes have killed Yackandandah’s annual gay and lesbian festival.
Co-organisers Gary Hayward and Andy Stevens have vowed not to organise another Spring Migration Festival, just days after the end of the fourth successful event.
The loss is tipped to cost the Yackandandah economy hundreds of thousands of dollars and has shocked festival goers.
COMMENT: Click here to have your say on this story
About 2500 people attended this year’s three-day event.
Mr Hayward said since the festival started in 2005, organising it had been a trial, with a small percentage of the community giving organisers “grief”.
In the festival’s second year those against the event glued the locks of the Yackandandah hall shut.
“It has been a battle each year,” Mr Hayward said.
“Homophobia is alive and well.”
He said about 95 per cent of the community supported the festival but without 100 per cent behind it “we just can’t run it”.
“That 5 per cent can give you a lot of grief,” he said.
“We will not run it any more.”
Last year’s festival injected $500,000 into the Yackandandah economy with visitors spending on accommodation, food and buying property.
This year it was the first gay festival in the world to be opened and blessed by Tibetan monks and included a dance party, a market, buskers, an art show and a winery tour.
Indigo Mayor Vic Issell who welcomed visitors to the dance party said it had a “great atmosphere” and it was disappointing the festival would no longer be held.
Yackandandah and the Indigo Shire would lose the economic boost and the publicity.
Cr Issell said he hoped, with time, festival organisers would rethink their decision.
Comedian John Walker who has hosted events at the past two festivals said it was not a “wild debauch or binge” but people having a great time at a well-organised event.
“If narrow-minded bigots can’t see past their own selfishness this is what will happen, we will lose events because of stupid people living in the past,” he said.
Albury’s Lisa Biscan who enjoyed her first visit to the festival on Sunday said she was surprised people were not more accepting.