Australia's most awarded music festival, Bluesfest Byron Bay has announced that the 2025 edition will be its final curtain call.
After 35 years of celebrating the best in blues, roots music, and beyond, the legendary festival that has brought world-renowned artists to Australia, as well as showcasing homegrown talent, will host its last event at the Byron Events Farm, just outside Byron Bay, NSW.
As the final chapter of Bluesfest’s iconic legacy approaches, fans are encouraged to be part of history. The first of many artist announcements for the 2025 festival, which promises a lineup worthy of this momentous occasion, will be revealed in one week. This will be the last chance to experience the magic, music, and memories that have made Bluesfest a beloved institution. It’s unclear whether there is any future for Bluesfest Melbourne.
The final Bluesfest Byron Bay
- 17 April – 20 April 2025 (Thursday – Sunday)
- Byron Events Farm, Byron Bay
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Peter Noble OAM, Festival Director and the driving force behind Bluesfest, expressed the significance of this decision:
“To my Dear Bluesfest Family, and after more than 50 years in the music business, Bluesfest has been a labour of love, a celebration of music, community, and the resilient spirit of our fans. But after the 2025 festival, as much as it pains me to say this, it’s time to close this chapter. As I said earlier this year at Bluesfest 2024, next year’s festival will be happening and it definitely is, but it will be our last. 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.”
Bluesfest has always been more than just a festival; it’s been a gathering of souls, a place where lifelong memories are made, and where music transcends boundaries. The festival is a community with regulars attending each and every year, with families growing in the Byron Events Farm and where industry merges with audience. Since it’s 1990 inception, the festival has grown ten-fold to become Australia’s most celebrated and awarded festival and for good reason.
Over the years, the festival has hosted an incredible array of iconic artists, including Blues legends like BB King and Buddy Guy, music legends such as Santana, Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples, Paul Simon, Bonnie Rait and Robert Plant, and contemporary greats like Dave Matthews Band, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, John Mayer, Mary J Blige, and Kendrick Lamar, who made his first festival appearance in Australia at Bluesfest. Let’s not forget the amazing Australian artists that have played such as Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Kasey Chambers and Crowded House and so many more. It’s a four-day festival that is a world of it’s own.
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Just look at their long list of awards to understand the legacy that Bluesfest leaves. It includes:
- 1 WIN at the Keeping the Blues Alive Award Memphis for Bluesfest Director Peter Noble
- 9 WINS at the NSW Tourism Awards for Major Festivals and Events - (6 Gold, 3 Silver)
- Induction into the NSW Tourism Awards Hall of Fame in 2019 for three wins a row.
- 8 WINS at the North Coast Tourism Awards for Major Festivals & Events
- 4 WINS at the Helpmann Awards for Best Contemporary Music Festival (Ceremony for Australia’s most talented and celebrated performers and industry)
- 1 WIN at the Helpmann Awards for Best International Contemporary Concert
- 8 WINS at the Australian Event Awards for Best Cultural & Music and Event of The Year
- 6 NOMINATIONS for NSW for Major Festivals & Events at the Australian Tourism Awards (2 Silver, 1 Bronze)
- 10 NOMINATIONS at the Pollstar Awards (USA) for International Festival of the Year (No other Australian Festival nominated in this or last decade)
- 1 WIN at the Pollstar Awards (USA) for International Festival of the Decade with a top 10 finish in 2021.
- 1 WIN at the first Variety Awards for Festival of the Year
The 2025 festival will be a fitting finale, honouring the legacy of those who have made it what it is today – from the artists to the fans. As the festival prepares to take its final bow, the focus shifts to the upcoming first artist announcement. Stay tuned, as the world will soon learn who will grace the stages of the last Bluesfest.
This final edition is not just the end of an era; it’s a celebration of everything that Bluesfest has stood for over the past 35 years – music, community, and unforgettable experiences.
Stay tuned for the first artist announcement soon.
