Another festival is now facing permit issues after the controversial last-minute cancellation of the 2025 Esoteric Festival.
Rabbits Eat Lettuce may also be forced to push back its Easter event.
The four-day camping, music, and arts festival – scheduled for April 17-21 in Byron Bay – could be delayed until 2026.
Despite securing acts like Luude, Astrix, and Nora En Pure, REL has hit a roadblock following Esoteric’s cancellation. Organisers say the Southern Downs Regional Council (SDRC) has refused to process their 2025 event permit.
There’s still hope for REL 2025, though – if SDRC councillors vote to discuss and approve the permit at their March 19 meeting.
“Despite last year’s festival being a great success that was fully compliant, incident-free, and supported by QLD Police, Ambulance, and Fire services, SDRC have pre-emptively refused to process our Temporary Event Permit Applications for REL 2025 without following due process,” the statement reads.
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Ticket sales have been paused while organisers explore alternate locations and permit pathways.
Organisers are urging fans to voice their support to SDRC councillors ahead of the March 19 meeting.
“The last 15 editions of Rabbits Eat Lettuce have been an incredible journey and it wouldn’t be the same without our REL family,” they added. “We are determined to secure a permanent home at Cherrabah Resort and are confident with our appeal. The festival industry has faced immense challenges, from environmental factors and government regulations to economic pressures, and we’ve seen too many beloved events fall. Your support is what keeps this magic alive!
“Thank you for standing with us. We will continue fighting for the future of REL and cannot wait to reunite with you all, whether in 2025 or 2026.”
In the meantime, the Byron Bay Launch Party is still happening this Saturday at The Playground.
Esoteric joins a growing list of festivals scrapped for 2025, including Souled Out, Splendour in the Grass and Groovin the Moo. Peter Noble, director of Byron Bay’s long-running Bluesfest, has described the myriad problems crushing the contemporary music festival industry as an “extinction event” – not everyone will survive, but life will go on and evolve.
In a message on social media, Esoteric Music Festival managing director Sam Goldsmith expressed his team’s devastation over the cancellation: “To say we are disappointed is an understatement – we are gutted. This is a devastating blow for all involved – from our patrons to the local businesses that have been planning for this all year. It is bureaucracy and politics gone mad.”
