Crowded House, packed fields – Bluesfest’s post-COVID resurgence

WHAT was once thought to be the final Bluesfest turned into a triumphant celebration over the Easter long weekend, as massive crowds rallied in support of the iconic music festival.

With more than 109,000 attendances across four days, this year’s Bluesfest marked the highest turnout for any Australian festival since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Festival director Peter Noble said it was one of the largest crowds in the event’s history.

The record remains the 2011 edition, headlined by Bob Dylan, which drew 115,000 attendees over six days.

Buoyed by the overwhelming support, Noble announced that Bluesfest will return in 2026, with four-day early bird tickets already on sale.

The 2025 edition delivered countless unforgettable moments.

Crowded House had fans singing along to classics like Don’t Dream It’s Over and Something So Strong, while Toto brought the house down with Africa and Tones and I energised the crowd with her global hit Dance Monkey.

A standout moment came when country music star Kasey Chambers made a surprise appearance on stage with Vance Joy.

Local blues musician Ash Grunwald was also joined by his daughter Sunny for a Bill Withers cover.

“This just might be my favourite Bluesfest moment,” he said.

Other fan favourites included funk powerhouse Here Come the Mummies, blues-roots outfit 19-Twenty, comedy folk band The Beards, and acclaimed solo artists John Butler, Tom Morello and Xavier Rudd.

While the festival is usually marred by rain and mud, the weather was unseasonally warm and dry this year.

But it wasn’t without its hiccups, with complaints on social media about accessways clogged with camp chairs and frustratingly long waits to exit the car park on Saturday night.

“Behind the scenes, we know there were challenges,” Noble said. “We’re already working on ways to improve for 2026.”

The NSW Government has pledged around $500,000 towards Bluesfest in the first round of its Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund.

Launched in September 2024, the fund aims to support major festivals recovering from the economic pressures of the post-COVID landscape.

It comes in the wake of major cancellations like Splendour in the Grass and Falls Festival, which had previously been held at North Byron Parklands, as organisers grappled with shifting ticket-buying trends, rising costs and global financial pressures.