Parkway Drive said they are “shocked” by the news that Bluesfest 2026 has been cancelled.
The Australian metalcore outfit were a surprise inclusion for the festival in what would have been a hometown set; however, on Friday, organisers confirmed that the festival will not be going ahead.
In a statement released on Friday, organisers attributed the decision to “rising production, logistics, insurance and touring costs, combined with softer ticket demand and international uncertainties”.
“We are shocked to hear that Bluesfest 2026 has been cancelled,” Parkway Drive said in a statement.
“To see such an important Byron Bay community institution fall on hard times is heartbreaking. We are gutted for the fans who made plans to come to Byron for this year’s festival. We know so many of you travel from all over to be there, and we were really looking forward to sharing that moment with you at home.”
Parkway Drive were booked as one of the headliner acts for Bluesfest 2026, which also included Split Enz, Erykah Badu, The Wailers, Earth, Wind & Fire, Sublime, Counting Crows, The Black Crowes, Buddy Guy, and more.
“For more than three decades, Bluesfest has brought extraordinary artists and audiences together in Byron Bay while also driving significant tourism and economic activity for the Northern Rivers and New South Wales,” Bluesfest director Peter Noble OAM said.
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“This makes the decision incredibly difficult. After careful consideration, we concluded we could not proceed in a way that would meet the standard our audiences, artists and partners expect.”
The news comes after Parkway Drive were forced to cancel their own festival, Park Waves, late last year.
“The cancellation is due to a combination of challenges, and ultimately, the numbers no longer stack up,” Destroy All Lines announced in December.
“With a heavy heart, we’ve had to make a difficult decision. We’ve tried everything. We’re gutted. We know everyone will be understandably disappointed.”
In a separate statement, Parkway Drive said the cancellation feels like “a kick in the guts”.
“Another festival being crushed by the rising costs across our entertainment industry. It hurts to be another casualty in this chapter of the Australian music scene,” the statement read.
“We’ve tried every possible option to keep this dream alive, but the reality of the circumstances won’t allow for it.”
