Bluesfest Takes Out Best Regional Event Title At Australian Event Awards

No two ways about it — this year's Byron Bay Bluesfest, featuring Kendrick Lamar, The National, Brian Wilson, Tom Jones, D'Angelo and more, was absolutely one for the ages, and it has all the proof it needs in its newly minted title as Best Regional Event at this year's Australian Event Awards.

Held at Novotel Twin Waters Resort in Queensland last night, the annual ceremony acknowledged Bluesfest's contributions to the local area in giving it the win, the festival's second victory in the Best Regional category (it previously won in 2011). This year, it fended off challenges from the Deni Ute Muster, Blues On Broadbeach festival and Birdsville Big Red Bash.

It was also nominated for national awards in the Visit Sunshine Coast Best Tourism Event category (won by Margaret River Gourmet Escape, although Bluesfest won the NSW state title for this bracket) and the EVENTelec Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event (won by Opera Australia for its Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour series).

Although Bluesfest is no stranger to nominations and victories at the Australian Event Awards — it has previously won the Australian Event Of The Year prize in 2010, was a runner-up in Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event in 2013 and 2014, and a runner-up for Best Regional Event in 2013 — founder Peter Noble remains positively bubbling at the result, even going so far as to suggesting the area take up a new offical slogan to reflect the region's contributions to the nation's creative communities.