A local music festival that provides an estimated annual economic benefit to the region of more than $4 million will take a break in 2024.
The Caloundra Music Festival will join the growing list of major music festivals across Australia that have been affected by rising operating costs and cost-of-living pressures on event ticket sales.
The event will not be held this October, but there are hopes of a return in 2025 if conditions improve.
Sunshine Coast Council Division 2 Councillor Terry Landsberg said the pausing the festival was a blow to music fans around the region and beyond.
“The increasing expenditure required to deliver a safe and entertaining event while trying to keep tickets prices reasonable puts festivals like this in a precarious position,” Cr Landsberg said.
“We needed to make a decision early in the planning process to avoid the potential of costly cancellation fees.
“This is a real loss for our local event industry and local businesses that have supported or benefited from this event for so many years.
“Hopefully conditions will improve and it can get back on its feet.”
At a meeting in February 2023, the council decided to provide $275,000 in funding for CMF for another three years until 2025 – but only after concerns around risks to economic sustainability were raised.
Related story: Music festival’s future secured after debate
Running two events over three years may still be viable and a new 2025 date will be considered by the new council in coming months.
The Caloundra Music Festival, which won the People’s Choice Award for Festival of the Year at the Queensland Music Awards, has been held each year since 2007, except in 2020 due to the pandemic.
No artists for 2024 had been locked in, and no tickets had gone on sale, so no refunds are required.
Creative Australia, the Australian Government’s principal arts investment and advisory body, released a report this month listing rising operational costs as the most significant barrier to running a music festival.
In a media statement, Sunshine Coast Council said CMF, like many other festivals, had experienced rising operating costs, including event infrastructure, production, security, policing, labour/crew costs, travel/ transport, accommodation and others.
It said the impact of higher interest rates, rent, fuel, power and food costs on household budgets also meant patrons had less disposable income for festival tickets and other entertainment.
Festival director Richie Eyles said the event had provided an opportunity for local performers to get into the festival scene.
“CMF has supported hundreds of local artists who have shared the stage with Australian headliners such as Powderfinger, Paul Kelly, Missy Higgins, John Butler Trio, Jimmy Barnes, Empire of the Sun, the Cat Empire, Jet, the Temper Trap, just to name a few,” Mr Eyles said.
“Then there’s the international artists including Michael Franti, Arrested Development, George Clinton’s Parliament Funkadelic, Tower of Power, the New Power Generation and countless others.
“The Sunshine Coast has such a vibrant music community and the loss of CMF, alongside other events in 2024, like Groovin the Moo, will be felt deeply.
“I encourage people to support other festivals, venues and artists by purchasing tickets often and early.”
Tickets are on sale for the Maleny Music Festival and the Sunshine Coast Chamber Music Festival.
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