As Byron Bay Bluesfest organisers announce 2025 as its last lap around the sun, we can’t help but wonder what impact the ongoing demise of Australian music festivals has on tourism to regional hubs like Byron Bay.
In recent years a number of festivals have succumbed to dwindling attendee numbers paired with supercharged operational costs. Few would give them any chance of returning.
Splendour In The Grass and Falls Festival – both of which operate in the Byron area – along with others like Maitland’s Groovin The Moo are among the biggest festivals to have closed their gates to punters for the last time.
In 2019 Splendour in the Grass pulled a crowd of over 42,000 to the North Byron Parklands in Yelgun with festivalgoers treated to performances from world stars like Childish Gambino and hometown heroes Tame Impala.
In 2022, the festival sold 50,000 tickets in its first outing since COVID restrictions put things on pause. One year later, sales were down 30 per cent to 35,000.
With these festivals no longer taking place, regional hubs are set to miss out on thousands of tourism dollars.
NSW Government launches ‘Power Up’
In big news for Sydney’s live music scene, the NSW Government has launched ‘Power Up’, a three-day festival held in one of the city’s most eye-catching industrial precincts.
From Friday 20 – Sunday 22 September the iconic White Bay Power Station will open its doors for three days of music, art and food.
Journey through the massive Turbine Hall to see work from 100+ local artists, then make your way through the Pump House and Boiler House to see the Power Up Stage ignite with live music and captivating performances.
There’s cabaret, magic shows, DJs, bands, orchestras and even a headline set from ARIA award-winning singer songwriter Josh Pyke. Some of the Inner West and Sydney’s best food vendors, craft brewers and distillers will also be waiting for you to pick up a refreshing beverage or fuel up on delicious local street eats outside.
Electronic music stays strong in the post-COVID world
As traditional festivals struggle, electronic and dance music festivals appear to be flourishing with events such as Pitch Music & Arts and Beyond The Valley seeing tens of thousands of attendees year on year.
Australian touring and events business Novel is a key figure in the electronic music landscape which runs a number of festivals and ‘one-off’ events around the country.
It has just launched a new project, A3 Festival, which will feature a number of mainstay international artists alongside a bill of local support. It will no doubt attract thousands of guests in its first year.
MixMag Australia editor Jack Colquhoun told Travel Weekly there are a number of reasons festivals have become increasingly difficult.
“Don’t get me wrong, I do think that there are many institutional issues that make festivals incredibly difficult to run, particularly from a financial perspective, but the festivals that have been able to survive and thrive are doing so because they know what young people want,” he said.
“If we want the festival conversation to change, we need to look more critically at how we can make them easier and safer to run.”
