Lukas Nelson @ Bluesfest 2018 / Photo: Nikki Williams

Bluesfest 2021 Is Officially Cancelled As Organisers Announce 2022 Festival Dates

The writing has been on the wall for a few weeks now as most of the country was plunged into extended lockdowns and so today organisers have confirmed that Bluesfest will not go ahead at all in 2021. This all followed its shock last-minute cancellation back in April amid an outbreak of locally transmitted coronavirus cases.

The confirmation comes just a few weeks after director Peter Noble acknowledged the likelihood that the October event would have to be scrapped, admitting that the festival was “not confident” it could deliver a safe event this year “as the clusters begin to pop up in more places and continue to grow exponentially”.

In a statement shared today, Noble confirmed that reality while also announcing that Bluesfest would return to its usual Easter dates in 2022.

“We are a resilient bunch. We have worked so hard since May 2019 to make Bluesfest happen and, guess what, we are not giving up. We are immensely proud of who we are: we are proud of the Bluesfest name and what that represents, immensely proud, and we are already looking forward to Easter.

“I thought this decision would be hard to make, but it was the reverse. The safety and protection of our loyal Bluesfesters, our festival staff, our performers, our volunteers, stallholders and suppliers is paramount, and I will not put anyone at risk right now. So the decision to re-schedule was a ‘no-brainer’.”

In brighter news, Noble now has his focus set on the 2022 event, espousing confidence that by that stage Australia will have achieved at least a 70-80% vaccination rate and be within “at least” ‘Stage Three’ in the plan to open up the whole country. He even hinted at a return to international artists on the 2022 lineup, proclaiming, “IF THEY CAN COME WE WILL BE PRESENTING THEM!”

“Now we concentrate on the future, and it’s a bright future – and the return of Bluesfest over four days next Easter: Friday, April 15 – Monday, April 18 2022, plus we are working on something special for Thursday, April 14.”

In terms of the lineup so far, Noble assures that almost all the October 2021 artists will return (as The Music Network reports, it seems The Cat Empire, Ocean Alley, Tash Sultana and Ziggy Alberts will be missing) while they’ve also added a few new names, including Fat Freddy’s Drop, Josh Teskey & Ash Grunwald, John Williamson, C.W. Stoneking, and Rockwiz Live.

More artists are expected to be announced soon.

Festival staff are appealing to every ticket holder to hold on to their October ticket until the 2022 Easter event, while assuring punters that they will continue to offer refunds until after the new artist announcement.

“After all – it’s only 35 weeks to Easter.”

Bluesfest 2022 lineup

MIDNIGHT OIL

PAUL KELLY

JIMMY BARNES

FAT FRERDDY’S DROP

JOHN BUTLER

XAVIER RUDD

PETE MURRAY

IAN MOSS

KATE CEBERANO

KASEY CHAMBERS

THE WAIFS

THE CHURCH

JON STEVENS

THE LIVING END

MARK SEYMOUR & THE UNDERTOW

THE ANGELS

RUSSELL MORRIS

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE

VIKA & LINDA

ALL OUR EXES LIVE IN TEXAS

ROSS WILSON and THE PEACENIKS

JOHN WILLIAMSON

TROY CASSAR-DALEY

BRIGGS

TEX PERKINS THE MAN IN BLACK

HIATUS KAIYOTE

JOSH TESKEY & ASH GRUNWALD

WEDDINGS PARTIES ANYTHING

THE BLACK SORROWS

CW STONEKING

THE BAMBOOS

CHAIN

BACKSLIDERS

ASH GRUNWALD

MELBOURNE SKA ORCHESTRA

JEFF LANG

NATHAN CAVALERI

KIM CHURCHILL

HENRY WAGONS

JK-47

GARRETT KATO

MAMA KIN SPENDER

DAMI IM

PIERCE BROTHERS

EMILY WURRAMARA

THE BUCKLEYS

FIONA BOYES & THE FORTUNE TELLERS

RAY BEADLE

PACEY, KING & DOLEY

MICK THOMAS’ ROVING COMMISSION

HUSSY HICKS

ROSHANI

DANIEL CHAMPAGNE

LITTLE GEORGIA

LAMBROS.

ROUND MOUNTAIN GIRLS

THE REGIME

ELECTRIK LEMONADE

PALM VALLEY

BYRON BUSKING COMPETITION

ROCKWIZ LIVE

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