Sturgis Canada ended its inaugural event in Merritt a day early over the weekend.
The reason for the Sunday cancellation was unknown at press time as organizers had yet to release a statement.
Contrary to rumours, the festival had not had its liquor licence revoked, a spokesperson for the B.C. Liquor Control and Licensing Branch said in an email.
Even with no licence, the festival could have continued without selling liquor.
That was the case at Boonstock in Penticton over the August long weekend. That festival was denied a liquor licence this year but went ahead with an estimated 9,000 attendees each day.
The Bass Coast electronic music and arts festival, which also takes place at the old Mountainfest grounds, does not sell liquor on-site and saw its second consecutive successful event earlier this month. 
Merritt RCMP, which works closely with the B.C. LCLB, did not recommend the branch revoke the licence either. Neither local police nor the liquor licence inspector knew of the cancellation beforehand.
Despite the early closure on Sunday, organizers said they felt the event went well, Sturgis Canada president Joan Hansen said.
“We thought it went really well — until Sunday,” Hansen said Monday morning, adding she was not prepared to make a statement on the reason for the early closure.
There is no word yet on whether refunds will be issued for the Sunday portion of the event, nor how many tickets were sold to the event.
It is also unknown if the festival will return next year.
