Hardstyle music festival Defqon.1 will not return to Australia in 2019.
Taking to Facebook today, festival organisers Q-dance announced that the event is cancelled “indefinitely” after the venue withdrew its support.
“Unfortunately the Sydney International Regatta Centre and its affiliates have withdrawn their support for the event,” reads the post. “Despite our best efforts, we have been unable to secure a suitable replacement venue for the event to take place this September.”
The announcement comes after two people died and more were left in critical conditions, following reports of drug overdoses on site at the festival last year. At the time, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian responded to thee deaths, vowing that Defqon.1 will never return to NSW.
“I never want to see this event held in Sydney or New South Wales ever again – we will do everything we can to shut this down … I don’t want to see this ever happen again – young lives lost for no reason,” Berejiklian said at the time.
Today festival organisers were unsure if the event will ever return to Australia.
“While we continue to look for a suitable alternative location that meets our quality standards, we remain uncertain if and when we return,” continues the statement. Read it in full below.
