Australia’s longest-running blues and roots festival will not go ahead this year, with organisers announcing that the 2026 edition of Byron Bay Bluesfest has been cancelled after 36 years.

In a statement on Friday, festival director Peter Noble said the decision had been made after “extensive consideration” of the increasingly difficult operating environment for large live music events.

Ticket sales were reportedly slow for this year’s event, one headlined by Split Enz, Earth, Wind & Fire, Sublime, reggae legends The Wailers and soul star Erykah Badu.

“For more than three decades, Bluesfest has brought extraordinary artists and audiences together in Byron Bay while also driving significant tourism and economic activity for the Northern Rivers and New South Wales,” Noble said. “This makes the decision incredibly difficult. After careful consideration, we concluded we could not proceed in a way that would meet the standard our audiences, artists and partners expect.”

Organisers cited sharply rising production, logistics, insurance and touring costs, combined with softer ticket demand and ongoing international uncertainties, as key factors behind the decision.

Held annually over the Easter long weekend in Byron Bay, Bluesfest has long been a cornerstone of Australia’s live music calendar and a major contributor to the regional economy. According to organisers, the 2025 festival generated about $65 million in indirect tourism spending in Byron Bay, $130 million across the Northern Rivers and roughly $230 million in economic activity across New South Wales.

A liquidator has been appointed to manage the festival’s financial affairs, including obligations to vendors and partners. Ticket holders – including those with camping and parking passes – will be contacted directly by the liquidator with information about the claims process and potential refund arrangements.

Organisers acknowledged the disappointment the cancellation would cause to the Northern Rivers community and the festival’s audience, many of whom have travelled from around Australia and overseas to attend the event over its three-decade history.

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