Bluesfest, one of Australia’s longest running music festivals, has called it quits after 35 years.
The Byron Bay music festival announced on Wednesday that it’s four-day event starting April 17, 2025, will be its ‘final curtain call’.
‘Bluesfest Byron Bay, Australia’s premier and most awarded music festival in Australia ever, proudly announces that the 2025 edition will be its final curtain call,’ organisers said.
‘After 35 years of celebrating the very best in Blues, Roots music, and beyond, the legendary institution that has brought the world’s greatest artists to Australia, plus a whole bunch of our own, will host its last festival.’
The final Bluesfest will take place from April 12 to 20 on Byron Events Farm.
Festival Director Peter Noble OAM said Bluesfest was a ‘labour of love’ and celebration of community, music and resilient spirit of the fans.
However, Mr Noble, who has been at the helm of the festival since 1994 and in the music industry for more than 50 years, said it was time to ‘close this chapter’.
‘After the 2025 festival, as much as it pains me to say this, it’s time to close this chapter,’ he said.
BluesFest has announced its 2025 festival will be the last
The music festival has been staged in Byron Bay since 1990
‘To my dear Bluesfest family, 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.’
Fans were urged to buy tickets and be part of Bluesfest’s iconic legacy and history, with the 2025 lineup promising to include many of the festival’s greatest artists.
Like many Australian festivals, Bluesfest has faced many challenges including cost increases, changes in ticket-buying behaviour and being forced to shut down due to the Covid pandemic and extreme weather.
Bluesfest was shut down in 2020 due to state imposed mass gathering restrictions and in the following year was cancelled just days before it opened after a sole Covid case was detected.
The festival returned with a bang in 2022 with a combined audience attendance over the five days of ‘about 100,000’ people.
The 2022 festival was headlined by some of Australia’s biggest artists including Jimmy Barnes, Midnight Oil, Paul Kelly, The Teskey Brothers and The Cat Empire.
However, the 2023 and 2024 Bluesfest events did not sell out, which put Mr Noble under financial pressure.
Next year’s festival has also been trimmed down from five to four days due to cost increases and falling ticket sales.
Bluesfest, which has been staged in Byron Bay since 1990, has drawn some of the biggest names in blues and roots music.
International stars including Bob Dylan, Jethro Tull, Tom Jones, Kendrick Lamar and Paul Simon have performed on the festival’s stage.
Other local talent including Cold Chisel, Kasey Chambers and Dan Sultan also made appearances over the years at the festival.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also graced the Bluesfest stage in 2022 but was booed by fans while introducing rock legend Jimmy Barnes.
More to come…
Music Festival Director Peter Noble said Bluesfest was a celebration of music, community and the resilient spirit of the fans (pictured, 2023 festivalgoers)
Pictured, Jess Gomes and Nicole Trunfio at Bluesfest