Plug pulled on major music festival weeks before event
Thousands of Australian music fans will be left desperate for Easter and one of Australia’s biggest festivals will be canceled weeks after the event.
Bluesfest organizers have decided to cancel the Byron Bay event on Friday due to poor ticket sales and rising production costs.
A staple for festival goers for over 36 years, this area has hosted some of the world’s biggest artists, including Bob Dylan.
“For over three decades, Bluesfest has brought together extraordinary performers and audiences in Byron Bay while driving significant tourism and economic activity for the Northern Rivers and NSW,” festival director Peter Noble said in a statement.
“This makes the decision incredibly difficult. After careful consideration, we have concluded that we cannot proceed in a way that will meet the standard our audiences, artists and partners expect.”
The festival added that due to the current operating environment for large live music events, it is impossible to continue the festival.
The festival was scheduled to take place from April 2 to 5, with headliners Split Enz and Parkway Drive.
The festival said a liquidator had been appointed to manage all financial matters of the event, including vendor and partner liabilities.
The liquidator is expected to contact ticket holders, including parking pass customers and campers, for more information and potential refund arrangements.
Organizers promoted the 2025 Bluesfest as the event’s final curtain call, but soon backtracked after the festival.
More than 100,000 customers attended last year over the Easter long weekend.
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