Rain Can’t Dampen Oz Festivals

Strong rainfall during the Easter weekend did not dampen festival attendance downunder.

At Bluesfest in Byron Bay, Australia, where the mud was 60 centimeters deep, attendance was 20 percent up on last year, said owner Peter Noble. More than 85,000 attended.

Highlights included Ben Harper’s headlining set Saturday, the day he also curated, while John Butler played his last set with the current version of his John Butler Trio.

The National Folk Festival in Canberra exceeded last year’s 49,500 figure, with officials estimating $7 million was pumped into the local economy as a result.
Christian get-together Easterfest in Toowoomba drew 41,000.

Rebecca St. James was joined by her brothers, and the Paul Coleman Trio played its first show in five years.