Six SA festivals have been cancelled in two years, while others are not far behind

The future of South Australian festivals hang in the balance as prices go up, and attendance goes down. Have your say here.

South Australia has had six major festivals pull out of its annual calendar in just two years, leaving some in the industry questioning whether the “festival state” title still fits.

As costs for insurance, entertainers, locations, traffic, and everything else involved in events have continued to increase year on year, the same number of people or less are actually going to festivals and events, Gumeracha Medieval and Rare Trades Festival vice-chairwoman Joy Westbury said.

She has previously worked with Supanova – a gaming and comic convention – and has been involved in the live music industry for many years.

Gumeracha Medieval and Rare Trades Festival vice chair Joy Westbury at the 2025 event. Picture: Castleforge Photography

Adelaide Cabaret Fringe Festival Producer Simone DiSisto. Picture: Image Construction

Ms Westbury said many major national events that do come to SA do so “at a loss”, “providing they’re making enough money interstate”.

In the last two years, six festivals have called it quits in SA. Those include Groovin’ the Moo, Harvest Rock, Vintage Vibes, the Beer and BBQ Festival, the Adelaide Cabaret Fringe Festival, and most recently the Barossa Medieval Fair.

Simone DiSisto, producer of the Adelaide Cabaret Fringe Festival, said the event, which was conceived in 2001, had completed its grant contract, and as a result there was not the funding to hold another event in 2026.

She said the festival organisers were doing what they could with “the last of what’s in our bank account” to keep at least a “skeleton of hope alive”.

“I grew up in what I consider the Festival State ... but right now, I don’t know if it’s an appropriate tagline for our number plates,” Ms DiSisto said.

“Three major festivals does not make a festival state.

“A festival state has to come with festivals of all shapes and sizes.

“It’s not a festival state that I feel like I live in now.”

The biggest reason for so many cancellations was soaring operating cost, Ms Westbury and Ms DiSisto said.

Adelaide Beer and BBQ Festival co-directors Aaron Sandow and Gareth Lewis, and event manager Hannah Louise at the 2024 event. Now the festival’s future remains unknown. Picture: Russell Millard Photography

Groovin’ the Moo was another major festival cancelled in recent years. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Ms Westbury said when the Medieval and Rare Trades Festival started three years ago, it cost $50,000 to organise, and insurance was only $1700.

Now organisers are juggling keeping the event alive while paying thousands of dollars more. Insurance premiums now cost $5000, equipment and space hire have increased, entertainer costs have doubled while maintaining a “plateaued” attendance.

“Pretty much everything to do with the event has gone up 25-30 per cent in the last couple of years,” Ms Westbury said.

Ms DiSisto said there was not the support in SA for smaller, “grassroots” festivals. “If we don’t have the grassroots festival and we only look after what’s bigger then like any ecosystem, if you don’t water what’s at the bottom and what’s in the middle then it’s an ecosystem that’s going to fail; it’s not sustainable,” she said.

Originally published as Six SA festivals have been cancelled in two years, while others are not far behind