Sydney Festival Cancels Headline Music Event Summerground

In an unexpected move, Sydney Festival has cancelled one of its main attractions, the music festival named Summerground, which was scheduled to take place in Tumbalong Park from January 5 to 7.

Summerground promised to be an exciting start to the festival, showcasing a variety of talents including the funk group Dojo Cuts, the Indigenous band King Stingray, the beloved Teskey Brothers, and the acclaimed UK acid jazz group the Brand New Heavies.

The festival director, Olivia Ansell, had previously described Summerground as a 'three-day luscious summer oasis', a place to enjoy live music with family and friends amidst the backdrop of Sydney's vibrant cityscape. Ansell highlighted the importance of accessibility, with one-day tickets priced at just $89 to accommodate music fans during the inflationary period.

However, the festival was suddenly called off, with a statement citing 'changing consumer behaviours, cost-of-living pressures and mounting operational expenses' as the reasons behind the decision. The statement also emphasized the festival's ongoing commitment to live music and promised full refunds to all who had purchased tickets.

Despite this setback, the Sydney Festival will continue from January 5 to 28, featuring over 130 events spanning various art forms.

As of yet, festival management has not elaborated on the cancellation beyond the issued statement.

culture, music, event