Future of Big Pineapple Music Festival in doubt after 2023 cancellation

Following two years of cancellations, the future of a major music festival that pumped almost $7m into the Sunshine Coast’s economy remains in doubt.

The future of the Big Pineapple Music Festival is in doubt.

The future of the Big Pineapple Music Festival on the Sunshine Coast is in doubt, following the cancellation of this year’s event.

It comes as the popular music festival didn’t take place this year in its usual May timeslot.

Established in 2013, the event was an annual fixture in the fields near the giant landmark in Woombye, featuring well-known Australian artists including the likes of Peking Duk, Bliss N Eso, John Butler Trio, and Birds of Tokyo.

An award-winning event in its prime, the Big Pineapple Music Festival won the People‘s Choice Festival of the Year at the Queensland Music Awards three years in a row and was estimated to contribute between $6m and $7m to the Sunshine Coast economy annually.

Bronte O'Hara, Chloe Williams and Logan McMaley pictured at the 2019 Big Pineapple Music Festival.

IN PICTURES: 2019 Big Pineapple Music Festival

The event was held every year until 2020, when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but returned for its most recent festival the following year in May, 2021.

The Big Pineapple Music Festival.

This year’s cancellation marks the second consecutive year that the popular music festival hasn’t occurred, with the festival not taking place in 2022.

At the time, then event organiser Mark Pico stated that the event would return this year, however that has not come to pass.

Big Pineapple Music Festival event organiser Mark Pico pictured after the festival’s People's Choice Award win at the Queensland Music Awards.

In a brief statement, Mr Pico acknowledged that a date has not been locked in for the next edition of the festival.

“There’s no news on confirmed dates of the festival at this stage,” Mr Pico said.

FLASHBACK GALLERY: 2013 Big Pineapple Music Festival

“We will advise any firm updates when they become available.”

CEO and founder of music marketing company Call and Response Joshua Taylor-Anderson advised that “there never was a 2023 event to put tickets on sale for”.

The official website for the music festival is dormant, while its social media accounts, with 56,000 followers on Facebook and 14,800 followers on Instagram respectively, have been inactive since 2021.

Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Matt Stoeckel said the organisation would love to see the festival return.

“As the peak tourism body for the region, Visit Sunshine Coast would love to see the Big Pineapple Music Festival come back to the Sunshine Coast,” Mr Stoeckel said.

“The festival was very popular with music lovers, many of whom travelled from outside the region and took advantage of the festival’s on-site camping facilities.

“The event contributed significantly to the Sunshine Coast economy and we’d love to see it back on the Coast.”