The Others Way, one of Aotearoa’s best independent music festivals, has been cancelled.
Festival Director Reuben Bonner broke the news in a statement today, revealing that The Others Way won’t return in 2026 or beyond.
According to organisers Banished Music, the decision is due to “years of mounting financial pressure, rising industry costs and an increasingly unstable live music and funding landscape.”
The Others Way launched in 2015, becoming one of the standout dates on New Zealand’s live music calendar.
“We know how sad this will make a lot of people, and none sadder than us,” Bonner said in his statement. “This festival – a DIY love story and K’ Road juggernaut – has always been delivered by and for a community of weirdos and wonders. It has also existed uniquely as a platform for discovery, and a celebration of independent music and creativity.
“We (Banished Music) attended The Others Way as music fans for seven years (2015-2022), and then were bestowed the great honour of taking the helm to deliver it for three more magical years (2023-2025). Watching it grow, seeing artists connect with audiences in such a meaningful way, and feeling the energy that filled those spaces each year has been one of the great joys of all time.”
“In 2026, trying to make a living as a mid-level independent music promoter in Aotearoa is hard. Delivering an independent boutique festival on the smell of an oily rag is extremely hard, and then throwing in the economic conditions and insane world that is 2026, you have a recipe for wild instability and stress, and very real potential outcomes like ‘we’ll be bankrupt if this goes wrong.’
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“In short, the magnificent joy received from delivering The Others Way is outweighed by the sheer financial strain and emotional toll it takes on us to deliver.”
Bonner continued: “Rising costs across every aspect of the entertainment industry, combined with ongoing uncertainty in the sponsorship and funding landscape, and people just doing it too tough out there to commit to buying gig tickets have created significant pressure.
“We’ve explored every avenue available to us seeking new & established funding partners, pursuing sponsorship opportunities, and rethinking how the festival could operate sustainably. Despite these efforts, we haven’t been able to secure the secret formula to deliver the festival in a way that meets both our standards and our financial obligations. As well as that, over time the debt that we have accumulated on this project can no longer responsibly be carried forward.”
