We bloody love music festivals. With a cracking line up of epic musicians and mates by your side on the d-floor—it’s good vibes personified. But thanks to COVID so many of our favourites were either cancelled entirely in 2020 or postponed—yep, that’s what we call the total opposite of good vibes.
But, now that we’ve rolled into a new year and some restrictions have eased, the good news is that festivals are once more on the horizon.
So what’s happening and what’s been moved to later in the year? Read on for all the deets of Australia’s major music festivals.
NSW
Bluesfest
With 2020’s offering cancelled, the good news is that Byron Bay’s feel-good festival is back. Boasting an all-Aussie line up, over three days you can bliss out the sweet sounds of Tash Sultana, Ziggy Alberts, The Waifs, Ocean Alley and Jimmy Barnes.
New Date: 1 to 5 April, 2021
Location: Byron Bay, NSW
Splendour In The Grass
After cancelling their 2020 show, festival fave Splendour In The Grass is back in 2021 and we couldn’t be happier. While Flume has unfortunately dropped off the line-up, legends like Tyler The Creator and The Strokes have confirmed they’ll be attending the new dates taking place in November.
New Date: 19 to 21 November, 2021
Location: Byron Bay, NSW
Strawberry Fields
After they were forced to cancel their 2020 festival, it’s been far too long between dances in the bush at Strawberry Fields. This year the festival takes place in October and so far you can only register for tickets, not actually purchase them. While there are no details as yet of the line-up, previous headliners at this truly unique art/camping/music festival included the likes of Alfa Mist, Club Coco and Young Marco.
New Date: 29 to 31 October, 2021
Location: Tocumwal, NSW
Scene & Heard Festival
While the Newcastle punk rock festival was scheduled for February 2021, organisers have recently made the tough call to move it to Sunday 7 November 2021. While that sucks for your February plans, the good news is if you already had a ticket, the line-up is staying the same with legends like Grinspoon, Killing Heidi, Custard and Regurgitator taking to the stage.
New Date: 7 November, 2021
Location: Wickham Park, Newcastle
Queensland
Airwaves Festival
The Sunshine Coast-based drive-in festival Airwaves, announced recently that in light of current restrictions around QLD’s border, it’s been rescheduled to March from a two-day event to one action-packed da. Initially scheduled for late January 2021, the current line-up includes Sneaky Sound System, The Beautiful Girls and Ash Grunwald.
New Date: 27 March, 2021
Location: NightQuarter, Birtinya, Sunshine Coast
Inverted Festival
This brand new music festival is for all the Australian punk and pub rock music lovers out there. Delivering the perfect mash up of live punk rock and Australia’s best BMX, Skate and FMX athletes competing for gold, this festival is one of a kind. Starring Skegss, Spiderbait and Trophy Eyes, the festival is still going ahead in May.
New Date: 1 May, 2021
Location: Gold Coast, QLD
Big Pineapple Music Festival
With a truly epic line-up including Example, Hilltop Hoods, Alison Wonderland, G Flip and Thelma Plum we are so happy that this Sunshine Coast festival has rescheduled after being forced to cancel their 2020 show.
New Date: 22 May, 2021
Location: Woombye, Sunshine Coast
CMC Rocks QLD
Country music lovers, this one is going to hurt. Sadly the team at CMC Rocks QLD have again postponed the feel-good music festival. They released a statement explaining that, “Government restrictions around mass gatherings and international travel mean that we can’t bring you a CMC Rocks in 2021 that’s up to the standard we know you’ve come to expect and love.” They have said they’re hopeful for a 2022 festival so stay tuned for updates.
New Date: TBC 2022
Location: Willowbank, Ipswich
Victoria
Loch Hart Music Festival
Despite its name, there’s a lot more to Loch Hart than just music. Think: comedy, morning yoga, arts and crafts and totem tennis. After cancelling their 2020 event, they’re pumped up to bring punters the very best this November as they hero local up and coming Australian talent and show off the beautiful Great Ocean Road region.
New Date: 19 to 21 November, 2021
Location: Great Ocean Road, Princetown
Zoo Twilights
Sadly the Melbourne Zoo music festival (what a location!) will be hibernating in 2021. The organisers have said that the uncertainty caused by COVID delayed the necessary planning needed to secure the diverse and popular line-up that makes Zoo Twilights one of the hottest tickets of summer in Melbourne.
New Date: TBC 2022
Location: Melbourne Zoo, Victoria
Beyond The Valley
For the first time since its inception six years ago, Beyond The Valley have cancelled their 2020 NYE festival. And while we were all devastated (previous line-ups include Tyler The Creator and Skepta) the music and camping festival have revealed they’re coming back with a bang for NYE 2021/2022 and we couldn’t be happier. 2021 ticket holders are still valid, so put 28 December 2021 in your calendar for a four day celebration like no other.
New Date: 28 Dec, 2021 to 1 Jan, 2022
Location: Lardner, Victoria
Northern Territory
BASSINTHEGRASS
It’s time to soak up the sun, sand and good vibes at Darwin's favourite beachside music festival. Boasting ten hours of non-stop music across multiple stages, the event will see headliners like Boo Seeka, G FLip, Illy, Lime Cordiale, Ocean Alley and the DMA’s. At present the festival is going ahead so praise be.
New Date: 15 May, 2021
Location: Darwin, NT
Tasmania
Day On The Lawn
Like we needed another reason to go to Tassie? The Apple Isle’s Day On The Lawn music festival is back! While the 2020 line-up was cancelled, come this March you can expect a slew of epic performances taking place at Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. Think: Ocean Alley, Grinspoon, Kota Banks and Angie McMahon.
New Date: 20 March, 2021
Location: Hobart, Tasmania
Australia-Wide
Wine Machine
After postponing the majority of their shows in 2020, Wine Machine has thankfully been given the greenlight to go ahead with new dates in 2021. They include Yarra Valley (20 March), Canberra (27 March) and Swan Valley (27 March). Some of the acts include Peking Duk, Lime Cordiale and Bag Raiders.
New Date: 20 to 27 March, 2021
Location: Various locations
Factory Summer Festival
After three huge years serving up epic summer parties on the West Coast, Ice Cream Factory Summer Festival did us all a solid when they expanded nationally with new East Coast dates in Brisbane and Melbourne alongside its iconic Perth home. Under the new name of Factory Summer Festival, the experiential arts and music event will head to The Ice Cream Factory in Perth and Federation Square in Melbourne in March and April.
New Date: 19 March to 5 April, 2021
Location: Perth and Melbourne
Groovin The Moo
The three-weekend touring regional festival had to cancel their 2020 festival but had plans to return in 2021, heading to Maitland, Bendigo, Wayville, Canberra, Townsville and Bunbury. Unfortunately, due to restrictions, the festival organisers, who celebrate epic homegrown artists, have officially cancelled 2021 too. Yes we're crying.
New Date: From 23 April to 8 May, 2021
Location: Various locations
For The Love
Like the name suggests, there’s a whole lotta love happening at this travelling music festival. Taking place on the Gold Coast (17 April), Perth (13 March) and Melbourne (3 April) during March and April, your ears will be blessed with beats by Flight Facilities, Mallrat and Cosmo’s Midnight.
New Date: March and April, 2021
Location: Various locations
This That Festival
Originally taking place in both Sandstone Point in QLD and Newcastle in NSW, This That organisers recently took to their socials to reveal that “following consultation advice with local, state and national authorities” they’ve had to reschedule both events, originally planned for February. The original line-up included Client Liaison, Crooked Colours, DUNE RATS, Haiku Hands, Hayden James and Jack River.
New Date: 30 October, 2021 and 6 November, 2021
Location: Sandstone Point, QLD and Newcastle, NSW
Get in the festival spirit with these epic playlists.
Image credit: Krists Luhaers