Byron Bay Bluesfest calls an end to long-running music festival in 2025
The teetering Australian market for multi-day music festivals received another major blow on Wednesday, when Bluesfest organisers announced that 2025 would mark its finale.
The teetering Australian market for multi-day music festivals received another major blow on Wednesday when organisers of the annual Byron Bay Bluesfest announced that next year’s event would mark its 36th and final edition.
“After more than 50 years in the music business, Bluesfest has been a labour of love, a celebration of music, community, and the resilient spirit of our fans – but after the 2025 festival, as much as it pains me to say this, it’s time to close this chapter,” said festival director Peter Noble in a statement.
“As I said earlier this year at Bluesfest 2024, next year’s festival will be happening and it definitely is, but it will be our last.”
“To my dear Bluesfest family, I want to make it the most unforgettable experience yet,” he said. “If you’ve been thinking about it, now is your last chance to experience our beloved festival.”
The line-up for the final edition of Bluesfest will be announced next week, with the four-day festival to be held from April 17-20 at Byron Events Farm, near the beachside NSW town of Byron Bay.
Across the decades, the award-winning and family-friendly camping festival has hosted a stunning array of the world’s best musicians.
BB King, Buddy Guy, Santana, Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples, Paul Simon, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Plant and Kendrick Lamar all played there, as the event grew beyond its blues-and-roots beginnings to take in many contemporary music genres.
Among headlining Australian acts, the likes of Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Kasey Chambers, Jimmy Barnes and Crowded House all graced its stages, most of which are situated under large tents to protect against wet weather.
Founded in 1990 by Keven Oxford under its original name of the East Coast Blues Festival, the debut festival was held at Byron Arts Factory, and booked as four nights across the Easter long weekend with a total of 6000 tickets.
Its name was extended to the East Coast Blues and Roots Festival in 1997, then abbreviated to Bluesfest in 2004, the year Oxford decided to step away.
Noble has been its sole director and owner since 2008, and has proudly flown the flag for his event through some tough situations, including the Covid-affected 2021 event, which saw the festival cancelled by a public health order shortly before gates were due to open.
From peak crowds of about 105,000 people across five days in 2011, Bluesfest has struggled to reach capacity since its post-pandemic return in 2022, but it’s not alone: in March, winter camping festival Splendour in the Grass announced its cancellation six days after going on sale, due to sluggish ticket reports.
Asked last year if he was worried for the future of his event ahead of the 2023 edition, Noble told The Australian: “Worried about the industry in general. Bluesfest will get through. We can deliver the event this year – but it’s going forward that I fear.”
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