World Hobby Festival to end with Ariake 18

Word is in from the official World Hobby Festival site today via Dengeki Online that the event's final iteration will occur on May 5th, 2008 with the holding of WHF Ariake 18 at the Tokyo Big Sight. This is bitter and unexpected news for hobby fans, as with its various events held through Japan multiple times each year WHF has for the past several years been an anchor of hobbyist activity between the Wonder Festivals in August and February, as well as for those unable to attend larger events in Tokyo and Osaka. The reason for WHF's termination is not given, but my first instinct is to speculate that a combination of resources spread over many small events and the competition provided by the recently inaugurated Hobby Complex events has rendered their continuation financially unfeasible. The final three WHF events will be WHF Nagoya 8 on March 30th, WHF Kobe 28 on April 29th, and WHF Ariake 18 on May 5th. Circle applications for the latter two events are still being solicited, and they're trying to take things out with a bang rather than a whimper; I know where I'll be on May 5th, that's for sure. I'll post again should any further information on the reasons behind the event closure come to light.