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Bluesfest postponed until Easter 2022

Australia’s Byron Bay Bluesfest has been postponed until next year after organisers admitted that the event cannot be held “in a safe manner” this October due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

This year’s festival, which was originally scheduled for March 2021 before being postponed until the start of October, will now take place around Easter next year.

In a statement, organisers said: “It is obvious that we cannot present Bluesfest in a safe manner in October – the safety and protection of our loyal Bluesfesters, our festival stand, our performers, our volunteers, stallholders and suppliers is paramount.”

When Bluesfest was postponed earlier this year, director Peter Noble said: “We were heartbroken when we first got cancelled in 2020, but the last-minute cancellation in 2021 was catastrophic.” 

Earlier this year, the festival was called off just one day before it was due to start, because of one positive Covid-19 case from a non-ticket holder. 

Following the last-minute postponement, industry group Live Performance Australia (LPA) was among the organisations to call for the government to provide financial support for Bluesfest.

Australia’s Federal Government contributed A$2.4m, while the New South Wales Government also covered some costs, although an exact amount has not been disclosed.

Noble told the Sydney Morning Herald: “You can’t deliver a major event like Bluesfest for any less than A$10-$15 million.”

Noble also said that the postponement in March had meant that a potential nationwide positive economic impact of A$181.2m resulting from the festival had been lost. 

On the latest postponement, the organisers’ statement added: “There is confidence that, by the end of this year, Australia will have achieved at least a 70-80% vaccination rate and will have achieved at least ‘Stage Three’ in the plan to open up the whole country.

“Lockdowns will be consigned to history. Perhaps we may even see international artists returning – if they can come, we will be presenting them!” 

The new dates for the Bluesfest are Friday, April 15 until Monday, April 18, over the long Easter weekend. 

Image: Aranxa Esteve on Unsplash