BYRON BAY (CelebrityAccess) — Bluesfest, the popular Australian music festival just wrapped the 33rd edition of the long-running event, following two years of postponements and cancellations.
According to Festival Director Peter Noble OAM, the festival sold more than 101,000 tickets in 2022, including more than 15,000 in the past week.
“We had a surge of sales in the last 10 days. People waited to make sure we didn’t get cancelled again before they bought a ticket,” Noble said.
Fans may be feeling a bit sensitive after the tribulations the festival face in the last two years, first with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and then, after being forced to cancel at the 11th hour in 2021 after the festival grounds were flooded by heavy rains.
“It demonstrated a lack of understanding of the value of our industry and what we contribute, socially and financially,” Noble said. “In 2019, we sold 105,000 tickets and generated an economic impact for NSW alone of $270 million,” he added. “The festival created 1300 full-time equivalent jobs.”
According to Noble, last year’s flood prompted the festival to help people who were impacted by the weather and he has pledged to contribute $1 dollar from each ticket sold this year to go to flood relief. As well, hundreds of the flood’s emergency responders and victims were among the invited guests at Bluesfest 2022.
“We wanted to give the flood survivors a joyous moment over the weekend. People are hurt,” Noble said. “People in this area are out of work. They rely on the trickle-down effect the festival provides.
“This year’s festival employed 1200 workers, 350 stall holders and 400 volunteers. Then there are the indirect workers as well. This is what our industry does. Don’t underestimate us and don’t abuse us.“
Noble also announced the festival will return in 2023, with the 34th edition of the event taking place on Easter Weekend.
