Confident Bluesfest organisers ‘charging towards April’

With 13 weeks to go before it returns for its first event since 2019, organisers of Bluesfest has assured fans that they are confident that its 2022 edition will be staged, with plans unaffected by the NSW Government’s ban on singing and dancing.

The festival was cancelled at the last-minute in 2021 due to a public health order less than 24 hours before it was scheduled to begin. It had also been cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Organisers then revealed dates for October 2021, before rescheduling to this April at Byron Events Farm (formerly Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm) due to another outbreak.

In response to festivals around the country being cancelled or postponed due to Omicron outbreak, Blues released a statement of Thursday confirming that nothing has changed in regard to its quickly approaching April dates.

The statement advised “as always, with a new year comes an energetic feeling towards newness, growth and fulfilling all our hopes and dreams! This year is no different, of course.

“It is also no secret that we have entered 2022 with some ‘been there, done that’ hiccups. But nevertheless, Bluesfest looks forward beyond these immediate barriers. We are charging towards April 2022 with fierce determination - and we'll see you there!”

Last month, Bluesfest revealed a number of international artists had been added to the bill, with George Benson, Morcheeba, The Marcus King Band, The Wailers and more joining previously confirmed headliners such as Midnight Oil, Paul Kelly, Crowded House, Jimmy Barnes, Amy Shark, Missy Higgins and Kasey Chambers.

The Federal Government this week extended its Temporary Interruption Fund for the film and television sector, following which music industry and live entertainment key bodies called for it to be extended to live events.

Last year, Bluesfest Director Peter Noble backed the implementation of a business interruption insurance policy, saying it would “incentivise event presenters to put on events and be protected in not going to the wall” should a COVID-19 outbreak shut down an event at short notice."

Bluesfest will take place over five days from 14th to 18th April at Byron Events Farm, Tyagarah.