Falls Festival has officially pulled the pin for 2020
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26.08.2020

Falls Festival has officially pulled the pin for 2020

Photo by Charlie Hardy

It's a sad day.

Falls Festival 2020 has officially been cancelled, organisers announced today.

Despite their earlier plans to forge ahead with an All-Australian line-up for their 28th year, organisers this morning confirmed that planned New Years events in Lorne, Bryon Bay, and Fremantle will no longer go ahead.

The announcement was posted on social media today, with an acknowledgment that earlier promises the festival would go ahead had proven too optimistic given Australia’s ongoing coronavirus restrictions.

“Falls Festival will no longer be taking place this year. In May, as the nation seemed to be moving into recovery mode, we were optimistic about forging ahead and supporting our local industry with an all Aussie edition of Falls Festival,” the statement read.

“We were especially excited to reunite many live music fans, get industry crew back on the job and contribute to the economies of the communities where Falls takes place.

“However, given the current status of things and border restrictions in place, it won’t be possible to hold Falls Festival in our regular New Year’s timeframe.”

The special “homegrown” edition of Falls was hoping to ensure that money stays in the local economy, providing maximum financial benefit for the Australian music community – artists, management, crew, agents, roadies, production etc – as well as the thousands of contractors and suppliers who rely on their events for their income.

While we can’t bring in the new year in the same way, organisers have referred to the cancellation as a ‘raincheck’, with hopes to get Falls Festival back on track.

“As we work with government stakeholders and key agencies to get Falls Festival back in the calendar, as always your safety is our priority. Consider this a raincheck and please know we will be back with more information as it comes to hand.”

View this post on Instagram

Dear Falls Fam, #FallsFestival will no longer be taking place this year. In May, as the nation seemed to be moving into recovery mode, we were optimistic about forging ahead and supporting our local industry with an all Aussie edition of Falls Festival. We were especially excited to reunite many live music fans, get industry crew back on the job, and contribute to the economies of the communities where Falls takes place. However, given the current status of things and border restrictions in place, it won’t be possible to hold Falls Festival in our regular New Year’s timeframe. As we work with government stakeholders and key agencies to get Falls Festival back in the calendar, as always your safety is our priority. Consider this a raincheck, and please know we will be back with more information as it comes to hand. In the meantime, we’re sending love to our Victorian Falls community. Hang in there! And to all of our Falls fam, stay well and safe. We hope to be with you all again soon. Big Love Falls xx : Dave Kan

A post shared by Falls Festival (@fallsfestival) on

This cancellation comes after Falls’ 2019 Lorne festival was forced to cancel last December as bushfires tore through much of Australia.