‘Taking the year off’: Splendour in the Grass 2024 cancelled

Musical festival Splendour in the Grass has officially been cancelled for 2024, with promoters confirming the news online.

Splendour in the Grass 2024 has officially been cancelled.

Promoters have just released a statement confirming the news online, citing “unexpected events” and adding that they would be “taking the year off”.

Comments were turned off on Instagram and Facebook.

“With a heavy heart, we’re announcing the cancellation of Splendour in the Grass 2024, originally scheduled from Friday 19 July to Sunday 21 July in Ngarindjin / North Byron Parklands,” the statement read.

“We know there were many fans excited for this year’s line-up and all the great artists planning to join us, but due to unexpected events, we’ll be taking the year off.

“Ticket holders will be refunded automatically by Moshtix. We thank you for your understanding and will be working hard to be back in future years.”

The co-ceos of Secret Sounds, Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco, also chimed in on the post.

“We’re heartbroken to be missing a year especially after more than two decades in operation,” they said in the joint statement.

“This festival has always been a huge community effort, and we’d like to thank everyone for their support and overall faith.

“We hope to be back in the future.”

Splendour in the Grass promoters have officially confirmed the news online. Picture: Instagram

Australian music publication Tone Deaf reports the festival’s promoters “could not confirm that the festival will go ahead this year.”

The annual festival, held at the North Byron Parklands in far north New South Wales, was set to go ahead in July.

There has been no official statement from the festival, and news.com.au has made its own inquiries to promoters.

Triple J, an official media partner of the festival, is among the music industry media to report the cancellation, confirming organisers had “pulled the plug”.

Earlier today, Greens senator for South Australia, Sarah Hanson-Young, said the news of the cancellation paints a grim picture of Australia’s arts and live music scene.

“Another festival in Australia which is unable to go ahead because of all the pressures and cost associated,” she said in a passionate address.

“This is another festival in a long list that of those that have had to be cancelled by organisers over the last few months.

Ms Hanson-Young pointed out the many festivals that have been cancelled recently. Picture: Instagram / @Sarah Hanson-Young

“Groovin the Moo, Falls Festival, Vintage Vibes, ValleyWays, Coastal Jams, Pitch and of course, Dark Mofo, we know has had trouble.

“Arts and music is such an important part of what makes life great. It also is an important part of our economy.

“Thousands of people, because of today’s decision to cancel Splendour in the Grass, will be out of work. Thousands of people will be scratching around thinking how they’re going to pay their bills.”

The reports have sent many revellers into a frenzy, and they have hit the festival’s social media pages desperately seeking confirmation.Australian superstar Kylie Minogue was billed to headline, and G Flip, Tash Sultana, Angie McMahon, Confidence Man, and other local acts were also expected to appear.

One and three-day access tickets and ‘VIP village tickets’ have been on sale for days via Moshtix and remain available on the official website (as of 1pm Tuesday).

The massively popular camping tickets, however, cannot be accessed.

The Splendour in the Grass line-up included Australian pop royalty Kylie Minogue. Picture: Supplied.

American hip-hop artist Future, was also set to headline Splendour in the Grass 2024. Picture: supplied

It’s the latest in a growing list of recent events to be canned or indefinitely postponed, joining Falls Festival, Dark Mofo, Coastal Jam, Goomfest, and ValleyWays.

In February, organisers of regional touring spectacular Groovin The Moo announced they were pulling the pin because “ticket sales have not been sufficient to deliver a festival of this kind”.

The abrupt cancellation of Groovin The Moo came just two weeks after tickets went on sale.

Last month, Catherine Strong, a sociologist specialising in popular music studies at RMIT University, told news.com.au that the loss of such a marquee festival is alarming for the broader live music events community.

Splendour in the Grass 2024 is reported to have been cancelled. Picture : Supplied/ Splendour

“Groovin The Moo been a feature of the festival circuit for quite a few years now, so it’s a worry when events with big names that usually pull in lots of people start to go under,” Dr Strong said.

She added the arts sector had been impacted by a sharp drop-off blamed on the cost-of-living crisis.

“If people are struggling to pay rent and struggling to buy food, they’re not going to be spending hundreds of dollars on a ticket to a festival or a concert, unfortunately,” she said.

“And of course, all of those things are impacting the people putting on the festivals as well – everybody from artists who are touring through to those pulling together all the infrastructure, and even vendors on the day selling food and drinks.

“The flow-on effect of all those extra costs means festivals are going to be on a much tighter budget. They’re going to be on much more of a knife edge than they would have in the past.”

Originally published as ‘Taking the year off’: Splendour in the Grass 2024 cancelled