Queenscliff to miss out on festival’s economic boon

THE Queenscliff Music Festival (QMF) is “extremely unlikely” to go ahead in its typical format in 2021, with the town to again miss out on the expected benefit of millions of dollars worth of economic activity.

In an update posted on the QMF Facebook page in late September, festival director Andrew Orvis said his organisation “cannot responsibly proceed into October without confidence and assurances in place to be able to hold any type of event in November”.

“Sadly, it looks extremely unlikely that we’ll be able to hold the festival we had originally planned for this year’s November event.

“We are, however, working extremely hard right now to salvage some form of an event for November 2021. The government’s roadmap out of lockdown suggests that by the end of November a smaller event may be possible.”

QMF, which was entirely cancelled in 2020, attracts thousands of visitors to the Queenscliff foreshore over the event’s three-day length, with daily attendance peaking at about 6,000 people.

According to a report presented by the QMF to the Borough of Queenscliff council in June 2020, Visit Victoria assessed the 2019 QMF as having a positive economic impact of $4.49 million on the borough, up from the $3.78 million impact of the 2018 festival and driven by a 7.2 per cent lift in ticket sales.

Organisers also spent $150,650 on marketing the QMF, promoting the Borough of Queenscliffe and the surrounding region.

The QMF’s community benefit scheme gave out an estimated $144,265 in value to local community groups and events, including more than $52,000 in cash donations and payments, nearly $20,000 in physical resources, and $45,000 of in-kind support (including staffing, administration, management, and insurance) toward the Low Light winter concert series.

A survey of attendees found the festival continues to be an enormous drawcard for people outside the immediate area, with 94 per cent of festivalgoers coming from municipalities other than Queenscliffe, Greater Geelong and the Surf Coast and staying in accommodation for at least one night.

More than four in 10 (44 per cent) stayed two nights locally and 34 per cent stayed three nights.

In the likely event that the 2021 QMF is unable to go ahead as planned, it will be postponed until November 2022, and ticketholders will be given the opportunity to either request a refund or hold on to their ticket for next year’s festival.

If a new, smaller event can go ahead in November, tickets will go on sale for this separately.

“So while we don’t have solid answers for you just yet… they’re coming very soon and we thank you for your patience,” Mr Orvis said.

“We just need a little more time as we have some things brewing that might be some good news we all desperately need!”

He encouraged anyone eligible to go and get vaccinated, and said QMF was supporting the #VaxTheNation campaign recently launched by the live entertainment industry.