24 hours before the gates were to open, Bluesfest has been cancelled.
The festival was expected to host 15,000 people over the Easter long weekend and would have featured artists including Jimmy Barnes, Tash Sultana and Ocean Alley.
NSW Health Minister, Brad Hazzard, today signed a public health order cancelling the event.
“While the cancellation of Bluesfest is disappointing for music lovers and the local community, I hope that ticket holders would support Bluesfest and hold on to their tickets as I understand Bluesfest will be working on a new date as soon as possible,” Mr Hazzard said.
NSW Health said in a statement the decision is being taken to minimise the risk of the highly infectious strain of COVID-19 being spread in the region.
It also acknowledged the outstanding co-operation of organiser Peter Noble and his team.
The decision comes after two confirmed cases from Queensland went to a number of venues in the Byron Bay area, infecting another man at one of those venues.
