Organisers pull pin on Big Pineapple Music Festival
Organisers have made the tough call to postpone the Big Pineapple Music Festival as new COVID cases continue to rise. Here’s what it means for ticketholders.
Sunshine Coast
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The Big Pineapple Music Festival has been rescheduled to May 2021, with organisers deciding to move the event from November this year.
Festival director Mark Pico said plans to hold the festival this year had progressed well, but organisers had made the "safest decision" for festival goers and the local community to reschedule to next year, given the ongoing uncertainty around COVID-19.
Queensland recorded three new cases overnight, with at least 17 cases active in the state.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced Friday morning the official Schoolies event on the Gold Coast was cancelled and from 8am Saturday, August 29 gathering restrictions will be imposed on the hotspot.
Three new cases in QLD, Schoolies cancelled
Mr Pico said though the decision to push the event back was disappointing, organisers were confident "it is the right one".
Mr Pico said their sights were now set on May 22, and pledged to again present a high-quality line-up "packed full of Australia's best bands at the relaxing Big Pineapple fields".
A Big Pineapple spokesman said fans could hold onto their tickets for next year's show, or seek a refund in the coming weeks.
They said while they looked to include a number of the acts planned for this year, next year's line-up was yet to be confirmed.
Australian hip-hop legends Hilltop Hoods were set to headline a line-up which also included Alison Wonderland's only Australian show for the year, The Amity Affliction, Dune Rats, Kingswood, Winston Surfshirt and Thelma Plum among others.
Visit Sunshine Coast interim CEO Craig Davidson praised festival organisers on their commitment to the major event.
"We welcome news the Big Pineapple Music Festival will go ahead in May 2021," Mr Davidson said.
"The event has become a real drawcard for the region and provides another reason for visitors to come and enjoy the great acts from around the country, as well as staying and spending while they are here."
Mark Pico said festivals and the arts played a huge part in the Sunshine Coast economy, with the Big Pineapple Music Festival alone injecting $7 million into the Sunshine Coast economy each year.
"Around 80 per cent of our fans come from outside the Sunshine Coast, so it's great for local accommodation providers, cafes and other businesses across the hinterland and coast," he said.
"It's important to have something to look forward to and I encourage our fans to remain positive, as we're already working hard to deliver our best ever event in 2021."
The Big Pineapple Music Festival was postponed earlier this year when the government banned gatherings of more than 500 as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold.
It was originally scheduled for May 2020, then pushed back to later in the year.
The Daily has asked what the latest development means for ticketholders and the line-up.
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