Iconic Aussie festival to call it quits with final event
The 2025 edition of Australia’s most awarded music festival, Bluesfest Byron Bay, will be its final run.
The iconic gathering has been running for over three decades with some of the biggest names in music headlining, including Tom Jones, Kendrick Lamar, Jimmy Barnes, Paul Kelly, Mary J Blige, and Bob Dylan.
Organisers will host the final festival on the legendary Byron Events Farm, just outside of Byron Bay, from 17 – 20 April 2025.
Headliners are due to be announced next week.
Festival director Peter Noble OAM addressed the momentous announcement in a statement that read: “To my dear Bluesfest family, and 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. 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.
“I want to make it the most unforgettable experience yet. If you’ve been thinking about it, now is your last chance to experience our beloved festival.”
Beginning as a humble celebration of Blues and Roots music in 1990, Bluesfest Byron Bay has grown into one of the most significant music festivals in the world, with over 100,000 attendees in 2022.
It has won a myriad of awards since its establishment, including six gold and three silver at the NSW Tourism Awards for Major Festivals Events, eight wins at the North Coast Tourism Awards for Major Festivals and Events and winner of the Helpmann Awards for Best International Contemporary Concert.
Festival organisers have not revealed the reason behind the closure, though it comes after number of major festivals, including Adelaide’s Harvest Rock festival, Splendour in the Grass, Groovin the Moo, NYE in the Park, and Spilt Milk all announced cancelled this year.
Bluesfest 2020 was the first major Australia music festival to be cancelled due to event restrictions imposed during the Covid pandemic.
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