Queer music festival OVERFLO ‘forcibly postponed’ because of Queen’s death: ‘We tried to fight it’
Queen Elizabeth II is seen at the Chichester Theatre while visiting West Sussex on 30 November, 2017. (Getty/ Stuart C. Wilson)
The London queer music festival OVERFLO has been “forcibly postponed” following Queen Elizabeth’s death, organisers have said.
Organisers said they were “absolutely gutted” that the event would not take place as planned in Burgess Park, Southwark, on Sunday (18 September), because of the Queen’s funeral on Monday (19 September).
The festival, presented by Pxssy Palace and BBZ, was to feature performances by “global and homegrown queer, trans, non-binary, Black, Indigenous and POC talent” including Bbymutha, LSDXOXO and Ms Banks, with an appearance by UK Black Pride’s Lady Phyll.
“We are absolutely gutted to announce that due to the Queen’s passing a number of large scale outdoor events have been forcibly postponed,” organisers said.
“We tried to fight it as much as possible but the powers that be have had the last word.
“None the less, OVERFLO will be rescheduled so please be patient with us while we figure out a new date to dance. We will update you with details as soon as humanly possible.”
Those who already hold tickets for the sold-out event were reassured that they will still be valid when the event is rescheduled.
Festivals are not the only thing to be cancelled and postponed following the Queen’s death on 8, September.
Many shops, theatres, museums and even food banks will close on the day of the funeral, and despite unacceptable waiting lists and an over-stretched NHS, hospital appointments are also being cancelled.
According to The Guardian, operations like hip and knee replacements and cataract surgery are being cancelled, as well as pregnancy appointments and some cancer treatments.
Many have reported that the funerals of their loved ones scheduled for Monday have also been cancelled.
https://twitter.com/_elliottxo/status/1569789554734800900
Quite honestly it's not the niceties of religious dogma that bothers me it's the inhumanity of cancelling a family from saying goodbye to a loved one because they must say goodbye to someone else's loved one. If my mum's funeral had been on Monday I'd be devastated.
— Fauxcanard (@fauxcanard) September 14, 2022
Our mum’s funeral already planned for Monday has been cancelled and now moved to the following week .. disgraceful— #theclassicalhorsehippie (@juliebr53785875) September 13, 2022
The National Association of Funeral Directors said in a statement: “Most funeral services booked for 19 September will have been arranged many weeks ago, so funeral directors and cemeteries/crematoria are working with families to find the best approach for each one.”
