Symmetry 2026 is cancelled. We are so beyond crushed right now. Writing this message feels like a gigantic gut punch, and we know you feel it, too.

Even though the sun is shining and the grounds are just starting to dry up, and our heroic team has put in everything they have, we simply were not able to catch up on the time lost to weather, and we are not able to deliver a festival that we'd be proud to host. This late summer has been one of the wettest that Central Iowa has ever seen, with over 13 inches of rain across August and September. It has been pouring almost nonstop during our most crucial build days this week. With brief bouts of sunshine, we got the stages up and running, but traversing the campgrounds themselves remains difficult and potentially unsafe, especially for vehicles. It doesn't matter how much we use heavy machinery to try and flatten the ground, or how much gravel or hay we put down. There is just too much water and too much mud. Mud is gross, and the slippage it creates is dangerous for both vehicles and humans.

We want you all to know that the humans representing this independent festival have poured nothing but love and passion into every inch of it over the last year, and particularly the last couple of weeks. Our entire staff worked tirelessly with minimal rest, far, far beyond what was asked, despite the conditions. We called in every extra favor we could, and received monumental help from Fairfield and Libertyville locals who offered free heavy equipment, gravel, labor, and tools.

We have no corporate or major financial backing, and cancellation insurance policies don't make sense for smaller gatherings like ours, so we are now about to experience a staggering financial loss. A cancellation for a festival like ours means, frankly, we probably can't come back.

We will be honoring requests for refunds from anybody who asks because it's the right thing to do, despite it compounding the enormous loss we are already facing. We didn't throw a festival, and many of you invested in this beyond just your ticket. It may take us quite some time, but every request received within the next 7 days will be honored. Submit your refund request here.

Any penny saved here would offer us the chance, however small, of being able to do Symmetry again in the future. If you choose not to refund your ticket, we'll roll it over into that next event. To do this, simply don't fill out the form, and know that we appreciate you endlessly.

We are so thankful for the community we have built here. It's the one regret we'll never have. Thank you for supporting us all the way, Symmetry Fam.

A Note From Our Festival Director Neil Merchant:

Symmetry Festival started as an idea from something my group camp squad, Facemelt Fam, have always wanted to do. We had all been attending festivals together for basically our entire adult lives, and it's how I've made nearly every friend in my life. I've personally attended every Shambhala, Lost Lands, and Electric Forest over the last decade.

With all this experience as an attendee, we decided that for Symmetry, we really wanted to focus on creating community in a smaller setting. So art, workshops, and community spaces have been as big a part of the experience as the music. We intentionally created many areas away from the music that were quiet and cozy, where you could simply chat and get to know people you'd never met. Group Camping was my personal passion project this year that I was so excited to create because it calls back to how we got started.

Our number one goal was to create dozens and hundreds of new lifelong friend groups just like the one that changed my life. Beyond just myself and Facemelt Fam, we found many, many others who shared the same goal. We connected with vibe.Digital, Lucid Journeys, the local Fairfield community, and the art and experiences teams who made our festival stand out far above our size and feel like home. We wanted to create a truly novel experience so that you could create a community that you would have for the rest of your life.

No matter what happens, just know that you will always have your Symmetry Fam, and that our team is so endlessly proud to be able to have brought you all together in our little space. The ephemeral magic of a festival is something so special and rare. Cherish it whenever you are with these people.

As you carry on in your festival adventures, remember to always have gratitude for every human around you who contributes to these moments, whether through their artistic expression, silly remarks, or service to the squad. And remember to love yourself at every step of your journey, too.

Luck was not on our side this time, no matter how bad we wanted it, or how strong our vision was. But I am so grateful to all my friends and family who have supported this dream from the beginning, and who have put their hearts into building this with us. My only hope is that this dream can somehow survive this storm and return once again in the near future.