Bluefest Draws 109,000 Attendees, While Australian Festival Industry Faces Crisis
Australia's Bluefest 2025 achieved its third-highest attendance ever with 109,000 attendees, marking the largest festival turnout in Australia since the pandemic.
Aerial view of Bluefest music festival
Despite Bluefest's success, Australia's festival industry faces significant challenges:
- Only 56% of music festivals were profitable in 2022-2023
- 35% operated at a loss
- 8% broke even
Major festivals canceled in the 2024-2025 season include:
- Splendour in the Grass
- Groovin The Moo
- Coastal Jam
- Falls Festival
- Souled Out
Key Industry Challenges:
- Average festival cost: $3.9 million
- Inflation up 30-40% since pandemic
- 47% of organizers cite rising operational costs as main barrier
- Young adult attendance (18-24) dropped from 41% to 27% since 2019
- Later ticket purchasing patterns creating financial uncertainty
Government Support:
- $25 million committed over two years through Revive Live program
- Includes:
- $7.8 million already delivered
- $8.6 million in 2025-26 budget
- $16.4 million announced April 2025
Impact on Industry:
- Over 1,300 live music venues closed since pandemic
- Affecting employment and local economies
- Funding aims to stabilize sector and create performance opportunities
Current photos and media would follow here:
US Copyright Office seal
Gavel in courtroom
Two shirtless men perform on stage