This week the Caloundra Music Festival joins the list of local and global event organisers that have made the decision to cancel event plans for this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Festival Director Richie Eyles said we don’t have much choice here with the current restrictions in place, our CMF vibe is all about getting close together.
“Working within a venue or stadium is one thing, trying to enforce the 1.5 metre social distancing rule at a festival across multiple parkland settings is very difficult,” Mr Eyles said.
Caloundra Music Festival 2016
Sunshine Coast Council Division 2 Councillor Terry Landsberg said our decision to cancel was about the safety of our patrons, artists, crew, volunteers, vendors, staff and community.
“We waited in hope that restrictions may have eased by now, but given the lead-time required to organise a successful event of this scale, it is best to advise our festival family sooner rather than later that the Caloundra Music Festival will not go ahead over the October long weekend this year.
“I encourage people to keep their accommodation bookings and still make a weekend of it here in Caloundra and the Sunshine Coast area, in what is the last long weekend in Queensland of the year, as we still have plenty of attractions and activities to enjoy,” Cr Landsberg said.
Caloundra Music Festival will return in 2021, dates will be confirmed later in the year.
Follow the CMF Facebook page or subscribe via the website www.caloundramusicfestival.com for updates.
Fast Facts
• In 2019, CMF generated direct and incremental expenditure of $4.4 million attributable to the Sunshine Coast region economy and a further $1.1 million attributable to the Queensland economy.
• In 2019, CMF was responsible for generating 26,041 visitor nights in Caloundra/the Sunshine Coast region. 78.5 per cent of these nights were generated by intrastate visitors (20,464).
• In 2019, approximately $1.4 million was spent locally on procurement (equipment, products and services).
• In 2019, more than 100 local businesses were featured within the festival app.
• The 2019 CMF won the title of Queensland Live Event of the Year at the National Live Music Awards and also received a third nomination in the Queensland Music Awards for the ‘Festival of the Year’ people’s choice category.
• More than 60 local musicians have been mentored by, performed and recorded with national and international touring artists as part of their engagement with CMF.
• CMF Introduced Australia’s first BYO H20 program for a festival.
• CMF operates with a dedicated support team of 600+ volunteers, contributing more than 11,000 hours.
• Annually, over a number of years, more than $10,000 worth of tickets has been provided to local schools, sporting and community groups for fundraising, and providing festival experiences for disadvantaged people in our region.