La Festa chairman Mike Neville confirmed the wine festival’s committee won’t run the event next year, because of a lack of willing volunteers, and the earliest it could run again would be 2019.

The cancellation has been slammed by Griffith Business Chamber president Paul Pierotti who doesn’t think the committee has tried hard enough to find volunteers.

Questions surrounding a $20,000 state government grant awarded to the festival’s committee were raised at Tuesday’s council meeting by Councillor Christine Stead. She asked if a new committee could take over organising the festival.

Mr Pierotti said the chamber would be willing to pull the festival together if those funds were available, and the community needed events like this to keep people in the 18-35 age bracket in the city.

Mr Neville said the committee held two general meetings and advertised for help on Facebook and in The Area News. “We also have 300-400 people who we sent emails … no volunteers were forthcoming. Sadly volunteerism in Griffith is dropping.” Mr Neville said.