Bluesfest shortlisted for Pollstar’s ‘Music Festival of the Decade’

A rollercoaster couple months for Bluesfest has hit a smooth patch with the music festival named as a finalist for Pollstar’s Music Festival of the Decade.

The annual Byron Bay event is the only Australian festival to be nominated for the U.S. live industry title’s award, which recognises “the most artistically and commercially successful festival of the last decade providing the most rewarding experience for fans and artists.”

Pollstar glory would take away some of the pain for Bluesfest organisers, who were forced to scrap the 2020 and 2021 events through no fault of their own.

The wider live industry felt a gut punch earlier this month when the Berejiklian government cancelled Bluesfest 2021 at the eleventh hour, due to a single community transmission of COVID-19.

“After all we have been through since the start of the pandemic, with two cancellations, including one which occurred the day before we were all set and ready to open our gates, it is a pleasure to be offered something positive for Bluesfest,” comments Peter Noble Bluesfest Festival Director.

“It’s something for our hard-working team to put their heads up and be proud of after all we have been through recently.”

Bluesfest

Bluesfest will face off with nine other shortlisted events, including Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Coachella, Glastonbury and Lollapalooza.

To see the Bluesfest name in such esteemed company is “simply up there with the greatest things that has ever happened in my 50 years in the industry,” comments Noble.

Bluesfest has a regular seat at the awards table.

The popular Easter weekend camping festival has been nominated nine out the last 10 years in the Pollstar Awards for Best International Music Festival. The missing 10th nomination can be easily explained; Pollstar did not present the award that year.

Bluesfes has also seven Australian Event Awards and seven NSW Tourism Awards, and the fest was inducted into the NSW Tourism Awards Hall of Fame in 2019

Nominations for the 32nd annual Pollstar Awards is open through May 14.

Winners on the night will be announced during the trade magazine’s flagship conference Pollstar Live!, which is booked for June 15-17 at the Beverly Hilton.

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.