Byron Bay Bluesfest 2026 Cancelled
The annual festival has been cancelled just weeks before it was set to commence over the Easter long weekend.
Image supplied
Bluesfest Byron Bay has officially been cancelled. Just weeks out from the event taking over Byron Bay during the Easter long weekend, organisers have revealed the festival will not take place in 2026.
Organisers have released a statement citing “Rising production, logistics, insurance and touring costs” as the reasons for the festival’s cancellation. Read the full statement below.
“After 36 years as Australia’s most awarded festival, we are deeply sorry to share that Bluesfest will not proceed in 2026. This is an incredibly difficult decision, and we are so proud of everything Bluesfest has achieved: the music, the artists, the busking competition, our dedicated staff and volunteers, and the community that has grown around the festival over the past three decades.
“Rising production, logistics, insurance and touring costs, combined with a challenging environment for major live events, mean it is no longer possible to deliver the festival to the standard our audiences, artists and partners expect.
“A liquidator has been appointed to manage all financial matters. Ticket holders, including parking pass customers and campers, will be contacted directly with information about the claims process and any potential refund arrangements.
“To our fans, artists, partners and the Byron Bay community, thank you for 36 unforgettable years. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has been part of the Bluesfest journey.”
READ MORE: Downpour Festival Takes Over UniBar Adelaide This August
Set to take place from Thursday 2 April to Sunday 5 April, this year’s festival was meant to be headlined by a reunited Split Enz, who got back together to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their debut album, Mental Notes.
Also scheduled to perform were Grammy Award winners Earth, Wind & Fire, Californian punk meets ska trailblazers Sublime, Southern rock titans The Black Crowes, alt-rock storytellers The Counting Crows and Celtic favourites The Pogues, who are playing Bluesfest for the first time in 14 years to celebrate their 40th anniversary, metalcore heroes Parkway Drive, soul singer Erykah Badu and reggae legends The Wailers.
The cancellation comes after a pretty tumultuous 2025 that saw Festival PR and Festival Director Peter Noble OAM announce the festival would be coming to an end, only to backtrack a few weeks later and reveal the long-running event would return in 2026.
First held in 1990, Bluesfest was a staple of the Australian music calendar and hosted some of the biggest artists on the planet, including Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples, Toto, Ben Harper, Lucinda Williams and more.
The mention of liquidators coming in and the need to go through a “claims process” for “any potential refund arrangements” doesn’t sound good for ticket holders.
Byron Bay Bluesfest 2026 was scheduled to take place at Byron Events Farm from Thursday 2 April to Sunday 5 April at Byron Events Farm. Refund information is available at bluesfest.com.au.
