Bluesfest Byron Bay
| Byron Bay Bluesfest | |
|---|---|
 2014 festival from above | |
| Genre | Blues, Roots |
| Dates | Easter long weekend |
| Location(s) | Byron Bay, Australia |
| Years active | 1990-present |
| Website | |
| Bluesfest website | |
The Byron Bay Bluesfest, formerly the East Coast International Blues & Roots Music Festival, is an annual music festival held for five days over the Easter long weekend at Tyagarah, near Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia. It features a large selection of blues and roots performers, both international and Australian.
History
Opening its doors for the first time in 1990, at The Arts Factory Lodge, as a three day Blues music event on Easter weekend in Byron Bay, Bluesfest has grown solidly into one of the world’s leading contemporary music festivals. From a modest original crowd of 6,000, Bluesfest now attracts annual audiences of over 100,000 across the 5 days celebrating a premier cultural and social experience. Patrons range from locals who have grown up with Bluesfest, to international and first time visitors to the area, all of whom span a vast age demographic. Bluesfest's history is parallel to Byron Bay’s evolution into the iconic destination it is today. In 2010 Bluesfest moved to its permanent home at the spectacular 120 hectare Tyagarah Tea Tree farm [1] 11km north of Byron Bay, one of many milestones achieved in Bluesfest’s 25 year history.
In December 2004, Keven Oxford, a director and founder of the event, left the festival and sold his 50% share of the company to a consortium comprising Michael Chugg (managing director of Sydney-based Michael Chugg Entertainment), Daryl Herbert (CEO of Melbourne-based Definitive Events) and Glenn Wheatley (CEO of Melbourne-based Talentworks), who ran the festival with co-founder Peter Noble. Noble bought out the consortium in 2008 and now owns the festival alone.[2]
Awards
- 2014 Silver, Major Festivals & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
- 2014 Best Cultural, Arts & Music Festival, Australian Event Awards
- 2014 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Australian Helpmann Awards [3]
- Gold, Major Festival & Events, North Coast Tourism Awards
- 2014 Rolling Stone Australia Awards, Won by, Peter Noble (Bluesfest Director)[4]
- 2013 Silver Major Festivals & Events, National Australian Tourism Awards
- 2013 Gold Major Festivals & Events, NSW Tourism Awards [5]
- 2013 Best Regional Event, Australian Event Awards [6]
- 2013 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Australian Helpmann Awards
- 2013 Business Excellence Award, North Coast Tourism Awards
- 2012/2013 The International A Greener Festival Award
- 2012 Silver Major Festival & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
- 2012 Business Excellence Award, North Coast Tourism Awards
- 2011 The International A Greener Festival Award
- 2011 Gold Major Festivals & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
- 2011 Business Excellence Award, North Coast Tourism Awards
- 2010 Australian Event of the Year, Australian Event Awards
- 2010 The International A Greener Festival Award
- 2009 The International A Greener Festival Award
- 2008 The International A Greener Festival Award
- 2007 The International A Greener Festival Award
- 2006 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Australian Helpmann Awards
- 2005 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Australian Helpmann Awards
- 1998 – 2010 Readers Poll Award, Rhythms Magazine – “Best Australian Festival”
- 1994- 1996 Readers Poll Award, Rhythms Magazine – “Best Australian Festival”
Line-up 2007
The line-up for the 2007 festival included:[7]
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Line-up 2008
The 2008 festival was held at the 26 acres (110,000 m2) Belongil Fields, the original outdoor venue. The 2008 festival had more food and craft stalls, a covered area where festival goers could eat at tables, a chill-out area, plus an area for an additional, fifth stage.
Artists in 2008 included Buddy Guy, Eskimo Joe, The John Butler Trio, Gotye, The Beautiful Girls, Newton Faulkner, Seasick Steve, Charlie Musselwhite, Mavis Staples, John P. Hammond, John Hiatt, Ray Davies, Maceo Parker, Loudon Wainwright III, Ozomatli, Ruthie Foster, Jake Shimabukuro, Keith Urban, Amali Ward, Lior, MOFRO, Dan Sultan, Jeff Lang, The Cat Empire, Clare Bowditch, Raul Midon and Xavier Rudd.
Line-up 2011
The line-up for the 2011 festival included:
Line-up 2012
The line-up for the 2012 festival included:
Line-up 2013
The line-up for the 2013 festival included:
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Thursday, 28 March
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Friday, 29 March
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Saturday 30, March
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Sunday, 31 March
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Monday, 1 April
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Line-up 2014
The line-up for the 2014 festival included:
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Thursday, 17 April
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Friday, 18 April
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Saturday, 19 April
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Sunday, 20 April
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Monday, 21 April
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Line-up 2015
The line-up for the 2015 festival included:
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Thursday, 2nd April
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Friday, 3rd April
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Saturday, 4th April
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Sunday, 5th April
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Monday, 6th April
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See also
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bluesfest Byron Bay. |
References
- ↑ "Bluesfest Byron Bay Tickets". Oztix.com.au. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
- ↑ "Bluesfest buy-out". dBMagazine (451). 15 October 2008. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
- ↑ "Bluesfest, Frontier Touring Clean Up At Helpmann Awards". theMusic. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
- ↑ "Peter Noble Bluesfest Interview - Rhythms Music Magazine". Rhythms Music Magazine. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
- ↑ "Bluesfest wins 2013 NSW Tourism Award". Sootmagazine.com. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
- ↑ "Bluesfest wins at the 2013 Australian Event Awards". Sootmagazine.com. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
- ↑ http://www.bluesfest.com.au/lineup2007.html
External links
Coordinates: 28°35′12.67″S 153°32′48.31″E / 28.5868528°S 153.5467528°E