Byron Bay has blues after festival folds

The iconic Byron Bay Bluesfest is dead, aged 36.

Two companies associated with the annual event, Bluesfest Enterprises Pty Ltd, and Bluesfest Byron Bay Pty Ltd, have been placed in liquidation, with Jason Bettles from Worrells in Brisbane appointed to wind up the company.

The Byron Bay Bluesfest, which was previously called the East Coast International Blues & Roots Music Festival, has annually attracted hordes of visitors every Easter event since 1990.

But Ticket holders for the 2026 event have been left in the lurch and out of pocket after the collapse of the organisers.

The official Byron Bluesfest website apologises to visitors for the failure.

“After 36 years as Australia’s most awarded festival, Bluesfest has made the difficult decision not to proceed with the 2026 event,’’ the company said.

“We are proud of what we have achieved - the music, our artists, the busking competition, our staff, our community, and everyone who has been part of the Bluesfest journey.

“Rising production, logistics, insurance and touring costs, together with a more challenging environment for major live events, mean it is not possible to deliver the festival to the standard audiences, artists, and partners expect.

“A liquidator has been appointed to manage all financial matters, including vendor and partner obligations.

“Ticket holders, including parking pass customers and campers, will be contacted directly by the appointed liquidator with further information regarding the process for submitting claims and any potential refund arrangements.

“We sincerely thank our loyal fans, artists, partners and the Byron Bay community for their support over the past 36 years.”