Your Guide To The 2020 QMAs Festival Of The Year Nominees

Airlie Beach Festival of Music

"Only at the Airlie Beach Festival of Music can you see 74 bands alongside 74 islands in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. With jaw-dropping sea views from the main tent showcasing the idyllic Whitsundays and the laid back North Queensland lifestyle, it’s the ultimate party in paradise." - Gavin 'Butto' Butlin, Airlie Beach Festival of Music (Festival Founder)

Big Pineapple Music Festival

"With seven successful events in our wake, Big Pineapple Music Festival is now a nationally renowned event and a staple on the music festival calendar, bringing the country’s biggest acts to Queensland. It also brings thousands of music lovers to the Sunshine Coast each year, many of them staying on to explore the region. Big Pineapple has sold out in just weeks for the past few years and that is testament to the festival’s incredibly loyal fans. We can’t thank them enough!" - Mark Pico, Big Pineapple Music Festival (Festival Promoter)

Bleach* The Gold Coast Festival

"That feeling, that heart racing, fluttering feeling, is the best way I can think to describe the experience of Bleach* Festival… There’s nothing exclusionary about Bleach* – it brings arts incidentally into the lives of people living on the Gold Coast, with free performances happening all across the city." -  theMusic.com.au review

Pic by Scott Belzner

Blues on Broadbeach

"Blues on Broadbeach attracts some of the greatest international artists to the regional City of the Gold Coast, resulting in a tremendous amount of promotion and public relations for the State, whilst also putting our own local musicians up on the stage for the world to see. Hosting the largest free music festival in Queensland within a live business and entertainment precinct also demonstrates the incredible outcome that can occur when an entire community works together for a common goal. The results for both business and tourism is paramount." - Mark Duckworth, Blues on Broadbeach (Festival Director & acting CEO)

Brisbane Festival

"Brisbane Festival enlivens the city as a stage for extraordinary arts experiences. The Festival is a catalyst for creativity and celebrates the stories, histories and diverse communities that give Brisbane its unique voice." - Charlie Cush, Brisbane Festival (CEO)

Buskers by the Creek

"With a growing reputation internationally, Buskers by the Creek celebrates the old fashioned art of busking and provides an opportunity for over 300 performers, no matter their ability or disability. Australia’s largest busking festival put Queensland on the world stage, pumped a whopping $7 million+ into the economy and provided a unique platform for artists to generate income, increase fan bases and gain further opportunities." - Cindy Jensen, Buskers by the Creek (Event Director)

Pic by Vampp-Photography

Caloundra Music Festival

"The Caloundra Music Festival aims to bring a broad audience of locals and visitors together in celebration, to enjoy world-class music, food, arts and local culture, and to showcase the natural beauty, creative talents and unique character of the Sunshine Coast." - Richie Eyles, Caloundra Music Festival (Festival Director)

Pic by David de Groot

Earth Frequency Festival

"Earth Frequency Festival is Queensland's longest-running outdoor electronic music festival. Celebrating 15 years in 2020, Earth Frequency has gone grown from a humble one-night tree planting doof launched in 2005, to now stand tall as an internationally recognised transformational festival, taking place at Qld's best outdoor events venue - Ivory's Rock." - Paul Abad, Earth Frequency Festival (Festival Director)

FOMO

"FOMO is a one day, one stage, all-inclusive entertainment experience, produced by music lovers for music lovers. In just four years, FOMO has transformed from an 8,000 person Brisbane show into a five-stop national festival tour, with more than 50,000 attendees across Australia and New Zealand." - FOMO

Pic by Mitch Lowe

For Shore Festival

"For Shore Festival showcases our iconic waterfront region, is sustainable and environmentally friendly, with a focus on local talent and fostering the careers of upcoming bands & DJs." - Jonathan Jackson, For Shore Festival (Entertainment Director)

Groundwater Country Music Festival

"Country music is one of the biggest and most popular music genres in the world. The phenomenal rise of Groundwater Country Music Festival has resulted in unprecedented positive PR for the Gold Coast in the realms of music and tourism by attracting some of the world’s biggest country stars to the beach city. The formula of country meets coast has been a resounding success switching the perception of dirt fields and camping on its head and attracting a new genre of people to the Gold Coast who are ready to stay in our accommodation houses, eat at our beautiful restaurants and spend in our local retailers; the result is direct payback to the local and state economy." - Mark Duckworth, Groundwater Country Music Festival (Festival Director & Acting CEO)

Hidden Lanes Festival

"A free festival that celebrates community. It brings together people from a diverse background in music, the arts, food and small business and acknowledges and respects our rich past." - Arthur Apostolos, Hidden Lanes Festival (Event Founder)

Horizon Festival

"Horizon Festival is the Sunshine Coast’s leading multi-arts festival. We present a diverse program of contemporary and traditional music, celebrating our local musicians alongside national and international guests." - Lynne Bradley, Horizon Festival (Director)

Surfers Paradise LIVE

"LIVE provides a platform for local and emerging Gold Coast and South East Queensland artists and musicians to showcase their talents on a world-class stage amongst some of the nation's biggest headliners." - Mike Winlaw, Surfers Paradise LIVE (CEO)

The End of the Line

"The End of the Line Festival is a free street festival which aims to showcase and celebrate the unique Brisbane precinct of Woolloongabba. Restaurants extend their licenses into the cul-de-sac on Logan Rd to give a unique urban dining setting. Live music stages, market stalls, food trucks, projection art and children's activities provide entertainment throughout the day." - The End of the Line

The Grass Is Greener

"Music is engrained in Queensland culture, and we feel our festivals bring music lovers together while also giving Australian and International artists a platform to showcase their art!" - Johnny Eddings, The Grass Is Greener (Festival Co-founder)

Pic by Mitch Lowe

The Mountain Goat Valley Crawl

"Fortitude Valley is the heart and soul of Brisbane city's live music. Mountain Goat Valley Crawl exists to enhance the free live music offering in The Valley, encourage venue exploration from attendees as well as bringing the local music community together to benefit both venues and artists. The Mountain Goat Valley Crawl helps to provide economic benefit to the city via opportunities for artists and also brings business in for the venues it is held in. For many local and interstate artists, The Mountain Goat Valley Crawl is one of the first festival-style events they can be booked on and often a stepping stone to more gig opportunities. Due to the music discovery element of the line-up, it’s also an event where artists can connect with early fans and begin to build a live following." - Viv Mellish, The Mountain Goat Valley Crawl

Winton's Way Out West Fest

"Winton's Way Out West Fest is the only festival of its kind in these areas, between drought and floods, events like this are a positive focus for outback Queenslanders." - Chloe Stockham (Winston Shire Council)

Yonder

"Yonder is a project developed to connect emerging multi-arts practitioners with engaged audiences. Strong values of inclusivity provide safe, supportive spaces for artists and audiences alike to connect and share positive experiences." - Lincoln Savage, Yonder (Festival Founder)