Adelaide music festival Harvest Rock will not go ahead in 2026, with organisers announcing it will be a “fallow year” for the event.
“We know this will be disappointing news to many of you,” the promoter wrote in a statement on social media.
“But good things take time, and we’re already working on future plans.
“We appreciate the ongoing support of the South Australian government in making the event a huge success to date, and we look forward to partying with you soon.”
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Harvest Rock launched in 2022, quickly establishing itself with enviable line-ups combining big-name overseas acts and homegrown favourites, showcasing SA cuisine and hospitality.
Headliners like Jack White, Jamiroquai, Crowded House and Beck have mixed it up with Ocean Alley, Courtney Barnett, and Tash Sultana in recent years.
The two-day festival has been a key strategy to boost tourism in the region, and despite thunderstorms derailing the first day of last year’s event, Harvest Rock 2025 was considered a major success.
South Australian Tourism Commission stated last year that more than 30 per cent of ticket holders came to SA from out of state to see a bill featuring The Strokes, Jelly Roll, Royel Otis and The War On Drugs.
The 2026 hiatus marks the second time Harvest Rock has taken a year off.
A huge crowd watches Beck perform at Harvest Rock 2023. (Supplied: Harvest Festival/Pat Stevenson)
Promoter Secret Sounds pulled the plug on the 2024 edition, just months after cancelling flagship winter festival Splendour In the Grass, which has yet to make a comeback.
Another Secret Sounds live music staple, New Year’s Eve event Falls Festival, has also been absent since announcing it would “take some time off” following the 2022/2023 editions.
Today’s statement gave no reason for the postponement, simply stating that “good things take time” before promising that future plans are in place.
Festival-goers are right to be nervous; studies in the industry sector have revealed just over half of Australian music festivals are profitable.
A combination of skyrocketing operational costs and dwindling younger audiences has led to the collapse of major events, including Groovin the Moo, Bluesfest and Big Red Bash, but also a rise in appetite for smaller, boutique events.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.abc.net.au ’
