Yet another local music festival is about to be put on ice.
Facing the same brutal financial pressures that have forced many festivals to shut down, organisers of the queer camping music and arts festival, Gaytimes, have announced the decision to step back, reassess, and (hopefully) return in 2027 with a more sustainable model.
The festival, which has created a unique and inclusive space for Australia’s LGBTQIA+ community, cited skyrocketing costs, ticket sale struggles, and the logistical nightmare of running a boutique camping festival as the main reasons for the hiatus. In a heartfelt statement, the team acknowledged the blood, sweat, and glitter they’ve poured into the festival since its inception—juggling full-time jobs while pulling together one of the country’s most important queer cultural events.
In a statement, organisers wrote: “After nine incredible festivals, we can confirm the rumours are true: Gaytimes will not return in 2026. Like so many festivals large and small, we face skyrocketing costs which have forced us to a loss in recent years. In the current climate, it is much harder to secure acts, sell tickets, and run a boutique camping festival sustainably. With this in mind, we’ve made the difficult decision to take next year off.”
From weather disasters to bureaucratic red tape, Gaytimes has endured plenty over the years, and the organisers aren’t ruling out a return. They’re hopeful that this isn’t a full goodbye—just a well-earned break.”
They added, “We hope to find a sustainable model to bring Gaytimes back in 2027.”
In the meantime, 2025’s edition next month will be the last chance (for now) to experience the festival as we know it. Organisers are pulling out all the stops to make it a legendary send-off, urging anyone who’s ever considered going to get their hands on final release tickets before they’re gone for good.
“Nothing like this existed when we were kids coming out, and we want the next generation to get to experience what we have enjoyed: to feel the unadulterated joy and freedom that you get from dancing in a forest with a thousand other queer people and feeling (sometimes for the first time) like you truly belong,” they continued.
If this really is the last time, Gaytimes’ impact on the festival scene can’t be overstated. It’s been a beacon of inclusivity in an industry that often sidelines queer spaces, and it’s helped shift the broader festival landscape toward something more diverse, safe, and celebratory.
As the team put it, “In this current political climate where we are seeing a conservative backlash and trans rights under attack, we are reminded that queer spaces like ours are as important as ever.”
Gaytimes 2025 is set to take place in Gembrook, Victoria, from March 21-23rd lead by a stacked lineup of acts including Alex Lahey, Roi Perez, Haiku Hands and more. Final release tickets are available now.
