A popular emo-punk music festival, When We Were Young, has officially been canceled for the fall.
The festival announced it was taking a hiatus this year Friday on social media. Usually, the event, which was first launched in 2022, takes place every October in Las Vegas, Nevada. Organizers did not give a specific reason why this year’s festival was canceled.
“To our When We Were Young Family, the songs, the memories, the moments, none of it exists without you,” the statement reads. “After an unforgettable run in Las Vegas, we’ve decided to take 2026 off to give this festival the care it deserves and to make sure what comes next feels just as special as what came before.”
“When We Were Young festival will return to Las Vegas in October 2027,” the post continues. “Thank you for showing up with your whole hearts every year. This isn’t goodbye — it’s just a pause. We’ll see you in 2027.”
The event was canceled before the lineup of guests for this year was announced. For the last four years, the festival has tajen place at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, which is where it’s expected to return in 2027.
In 2025, the When We Were Young festival featured Blink-182 and Panic! at the Disco as headliners. The lineup also included Avril Lavigne, Plain White T’s, Weezer, All Time Low, The Offspring, Simple Plan and Knocked Loose.
When the event was launched in 2022, it sparked outrage for canceling on its first day, only hours before it was supposed to begin. The first day of the two-day festival was canceled because of a weather warning.
“The National Weather Service has now upgraded their Saturday forecast to a High Wind Warning, including dangerous 30 to 40 mph sustained winds with potential 60 mph gusts,” a statement read at the time.
“We have no other choice than to cancel today’s When We Were Young Festival. The safety of our fans, artists and staff will always be our top priority. This was not a decision that came lightly.
The event, which featured Paramore, Jimmy Eat World, My Chemical Romance, Lavigne and more, still went ahead on the following Sunday.
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However, fans were disappointed about the 2022 event cancellation at the time, with some saying they had traveled from overseas to attend the festival. Meanwhile, others questioned why organizers waited until the last moment to make the announcement.
