A ONE-OFF Kemp Town Carnival children’s festival has been cancelled as organisers do not want to run the risk of adding more debt for the main event which returns next year.

Organisers said they took the “really tough decision” to cancel the one-day event because of low tickets sales and insufficient bookings for stalls.

The children’s festival was only announced in March but with costs rising to almost £5,000, organisers did not want to risk racking up any further losses.

The carnival is on a break this year as organisers look at more sustainable funding streams but hope to return on June 4 next year. The children’s festival had been intended as a smaller alternative to the traditional carnival centred around St George’s Church in Brighton with theatre, storytelling, puppetry, circus skills, activities and a street market.

Organiser Mat Cook said the formula for the event promised to be “very exciting” and that elements of the theatre show could be incorporated into next year’s carnival.

He added that The Kemp Town Carnival Association and Cook the Rabbit Events had raised more than £130,000 since 2011 to meet the £40,000 annual carnival costs and that debts had been more than halved from £12,000 last year.

Mr Cook said the carnival returning next year was “looking very possible” and called on residents to get involved with the planning process when meetings begin in August.

Organisers are looking into the possibility of a winter fundraiser at St George’s Church.

He said: “It was a really tough decision to cancel the children’s festival, as hard as having to cancel the carnival itself this year, but we are making a lot of headway on reducing the overall carnival debt that has been accumulated over the last four years.

“Last year we were £12,000 in debt. We have reduced that debt to under £6,000, meaning that bringing the carnival back in 2016 is looking very possible.

“We cancelled this year’s children’s festival as the risk of adding to the debt was too high. We simply need more help and support in highlighting our fundraising efforts.”

To be involved in the planning of next year’s carnival contact Mat Cook on cooktherabbit.events@ gmail.com