Sydney Festival axes Summerground

Sydney Festival has abruptly axed one of its headline events – a three-day music festival that had been planned for Tumbalong Park from January 5 to 7.

Summerground was intended to feature a host of big names, including funk outfit Dojo Cuts, Indigenous rockers King Stingray, festival favourites the Teskey Brothers and UK acid jazz veterans the Brand New Heavies.

Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald in October ahead of the launch of the 2024 event, festival director Olivia Ansell described Summerground as a “three-day luscious summer oasis to kick off the start of summer featuring some of the best blues, funk, roots and R’n’B”.

“People can come down with their families, with their loved ones, with their friends, and see some absolutely top gigs,” she continued.

And in contrast with comparable festivals, Summerground’s ticket prices were deliberately modest, at just $89 for a one-day pass.

“We are listening to the current rhetoric around inflation and costs, and I believe there’s such a huge demographic out there for this type of music that isn’t getting this type of festival in the heart of Sydney,” said Ansell. “We are the biggest city in the country and we should be offering this.”

The abrupt cancellation of the high-profile festival was accompanied by a brief statement.

“Changing consumer behaviours, cost-of-living pressures and mounting operational expenses are having an impact on many large music festivals nationwide and unfortunately, Summerground was not immune from these factors,” it read.