‘Financially Catastrophic’: Another Major Aus Festival Cancels Due To COVID Risks

Another major music event in Australia has been forced to cancel due to the Delta outbreak of COVID across the country.

After cancelling in 2020 due to COVID, Gympie Music Muster was scheduled to celebrate 40 years this August, with a line-up that boasted Lee Kernaghan, Kasey Chambers, Beccy Cole, Troy Cassar-Daley, Adam Brand and more, but organisers have been forced to call off the festival to save its future.

“This announcement today is one we desperately did not want to make,” they said.

“It is with great disappointment and sorrow that we have to inform you of our 40th Birthday celebration cancellation.

“This decision has not been made lightly as our team has been working tirelessly and were ready to deliver a first-class festival, that you all know and love.  

“Many of our Muster family – ticket holders, artists, contractors, volunteers and vendors come from far and wide and we feel it is only fair that we notify all as soon as possible.  

“Our COVID-19 plan was in place, however the risks involved in continuing with the festival this year are escalating daily. In the interest of the Gympie Music Muster’s long-term sustainability and our brand we have had to make the hard decision for all involved.”

Organisers also stated that ticket sales had exceeded their expectations “with a third of our patrons coming from interstate”.

“Financially the event relies on unrestricted travel to and within Queensland for patrons, artists and suppliers. We are a not-for-profit organisation and the current situation and the uncertain future poses an unacceptable financial risk," they said.

“Unless the event can be delivered with a full program and with unrestricted interstate attendance, we cannot deliver value for our patrons and guarantee payment to our suppliers.   

“In the event of a late cancellation or any sudden lockdown we simply could not refund tickets and pay suppliers which would be financially catastrophic for the future of the event.”

The next Gympie Music Muster will take place from August 25-28, 2022.

“We assure you that we will be ready to host you as part of our Muster family in 2022 when the majority of Australians have been vaccinated and travel restrictions are relaxed,” they said.

“All our current ticketholders will be offered the opportunity to transfer tickets to our next festival to be held Thursday 25 August to Sunday 28 August 2022 or to receive a refund.  

“By transferring your tickets, you are demonstrating your ongoing support for our iconic music and camping festival and guarantee that you are already set for the 2022 Muster at the 2021 price.”

The cancellation of Gympie Music Muster follows news that beloved Victorian event The Lost Lands had postponed its 2021 event until next year for similar reasons.

“We’ve held on to that possibility for as long as we can, however lockdowns in Victoria and New South Wales have shaken our confidence in moving forward,” The Lost Lands organisers said.

“As a young festival, it has been both an exciting journey and a tough few years finding our feet. A more established festival can weather the risks and uncertainty our industry faces at this time a lot more easily.”

Earlier this week, organisers behind BIGSOUND 2021 confirmed that this September’s event in Brisbane had been cancelled due to the latest outbreak of the Delta strain of COVID, combined with a slow vaccination rollout, and Melbourne's Leaps & Bounds Festival was “put on hold indefinitely”.