Return to Rio has become the latest in a long line of Australian music festivals to receive the axe.
In an Instagram post, they said they were canceling the festival “after careful consideration” and with “heavy hearts”, but shared their hopes of returning in 2025.
They claimed additional costs imposed by NSW Police and Health to cover policing and medical services made it “nearly impossible” to hold the event.
“After careful consideration and with heavy hearts, we are sad to announce that Return to Rio 2024 will not take place,” the organizers wrote in a long press release.
Return to Rio has become the latest in a long line of Australian music festivals to receive the ax, with organizers confirming it had been canceled due to rising costs.
“Return to Rio has an excellent track record as a safe and well-organized festival and has been operating successfully for over a decade without any major incidents.
“But last year it was decided that our police and medical costs would increase by 529 percent.
“This, combined with the additional rules and regulations we must follow, means that last year we incurred over $300,000 in additional costs. For a small family business, it is almost impossible not to operate at a loss.
“With so many people struggling financially right now, we are not prepared to pass these exorbitant fees on to you,” they continued.
The 2023 edition took place October 27-29 at Wisemans Ferry and attracted DJs including Amonita, Anthony Pappa and Bushwacka!, among others.
“We believe we all have the right to enjoy festivals, as the rest of the world manages to do safely without this authoritarianism. But unfortunately it’s becoming impossible to continue doing what we’re doing here in New South Wales.
“So we are coming out of the game this year, in the hope that this madness stops and common sense prevails.” We hope to return bigger and better in 2025. Lots of love.
The 2023 edition took place October 27-29 at Wisemans Ferry and attracted DJs including Amonita, Anthony Pappa and Bushwacka!, among others.
It is the latest in a long line of festivals in Australia to be axed this year, sparking concerns about the future of live music in Australia.
It is the latest in a long line of festivals in Australia to be axed this year, sparking concerns about the future of live music in Australia (pictured: Groovin The Moo in 2019).
The hugely popular Groovin The Moo festival – which was due to be headlined by Alice Wonderland (above) this year – was forced to cancel, two months before it was due to kick off.
Groovin The Moo is one of Australia’s largest music festivals and has run every year since 2005, with the exception of 2020 and 2021 when it was halted due to Covid.
This year the musical extravaganza was scheduled to take place in cities including Wayville, Canberra, Bendigo, Newcastle and the Sunshine Coast between April 25 and May 11.
However, in February, organizers announced that the 2024 festival had been forced to cancel, just two months before it was due to kick off.
Just a week after tickets went on sale, organizers confirmed that regional shows would no longer take place this year, citing poor ticket sales.
Splendor in the Grass was due to take place from July 19-21 at North Byron Parklands, with Kylie Minogue headlining.
Splendor in the Grass was due to take place from July 19-21 at North Byron Parklands, with Kylie Minogue (pictured) headlining, but it too was canceled due to “unexpected events”.
But the 2024 event was canceled just weeks after the lineup was announced, with organizers citing “unexpected events” as the reason behind the decision as its future remains uncertain.
NYE In The Park collapsed after being unable to pay its debts, while ValleyWays and Tent Pole Music Festival were also canceled amid an “impossible” economic climate.
Amid cancellations, Dance Monkey singer Tones And I has issued a dire warning about the future of festivals in Australia.
She urged fans to support local artists and events as well as big global names, warning Australia “will have no more festivals” amid cancellations.
Amid cancellations, Dance Monkey singer Tones And I (pictured) has issued a dire warning about the future of festivals in Australia by urging people to support local artists.
She said: “Splendour in the Grass 2024 has been canceled and it’s quite sad because we’ve also lost Groovin the Moo and Falls Festival in recent years and we don’t know if that’s going to come back.
“I think it’s more important than ever to buy tickets to your favorite bands, to go to concerts, to go to festivals even if you just like the vibe, because these guys won’t come back – some of these festivals can’t and they need this support.
“I understand that everyone gets so excited when foreign artists come, and that’s really exciting, but soon we really won’t have festivals anymore, which will not only deter foreign artists from coming, but it will really hampering Australia’s burgeoning live music scene.
“Do your best to support local artists and local festivals in your own country, if you can. »
