Organisers of the Copenhagen Carnival announced today that this year's carnival was the last after the City Council slashed funding by more than half. 

With the amount the city gives being cut from 500,000 kroner last year to 202,000 kroner this year, Copenhagen Carnival director Morten Sørensen said the annual event, which has been held over the Whitsun weekend since 1982, had become too expensive to put on and would not return in 2013.

“Running such a large event is costly and we have had to concede that the council support of 202,000 kroner we have been granted for next year’s Carnival was insufficient to cover the millions of kroner it costs to responsibly run such a large event,” Sørensen said in a press release.

He added that he was disappointed by the lack of funding granted by the City Council for the event, given the amounts it hands out to other events in the city.

“We can see that our direct competitors receive much more support than we do, even though many are smaller than us and clearly have difficulty with holding large events. It’s sad that the city’s politicians aren’t more positive about this inclusive international cultural festival, a tradition that now has to end.”

Copenhagen Carnival has struggled with its costs for several years, and in 2011 the foundation supporting declared bankruptcy.

In order to raise money and mitigate against the thievery that plagued the events in 2010 and 2011, this year’s carnival was the first time visitors had to pay admission to attend Carnival events in Fælledparken.

Copenhagen Carnival attracts an estimated 220,000 people every year. Most of its 4.09 million kroner budget is found through donations and sponsorships.