Byron Bay Bluesfest 2024: Everything You Need To Know

Since its humble debut in 1990, the Byron Bay Bluesfest has evolved into much more than a music festival: it’s a cultural institution entirely unique to itself, where the energy and atmosphere are just as crucial as the soundtrack. It’s now Australia’s biggest (and undeniably best) celebration of blues and roots music, with an aptly strong community and unparalleled spirit – the rare event where lifelong memories are nigh-on guaranteed.

This year’s edition sees Bluesfest celebrate its monumental 35th anniversary, with an historic lineup featuring such time-honoured heavyweights as Jack Johnson, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Portugal. The Man, Taj Mahal and Tommy Emmanuel – all performing exclusively at the festival. Not to mention, the weeklong extravaganza will feature Jimmy Barnes’ hotly anticipated return to the stage, plus appearances from Tom Jones, The Teskey Brothers, Matt Corby, Tedeschi Trucks Band, L.A.B, Ziggy Alberts and dozens more.

Bluesfest 2024 kicks off in just a week and a half, running over the easter long weekend of Thursday March 28 through to Monday April 1. To help you make the very most of it, we’ve put together this handy info guide. Below, you’ll find everything there is to know about who’s playing and when they’re playing, where the festival’s being held and how to get there, what else you can expect to see there, and how to plan your ultimate Bluesfest experience.

VENUES & DATES

Bluesfest has been a flagship event of the Byron Events Farm – formerly known as the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm – since 2010, and the idyllic, 120-hectare paradise on Bundjalung land is now the festival’s permanent home. The site is situated just 15 kilometres north of Byron Bay, just off the Pacific Highway towards Brunswick Heads; for those driving in, you’ll see plenty of signage to let you know you’re close (you can scroll on for more info about getting to Bluesfest, too).

As mentioned earlier, this year’s Bluesfest kicks off on Thursday March 28, running over five days until Monday April 1. The festival gates will open at 11am each morning – except on Thursday, when they’ll open at 2pm – and close at midnight across the whole stint. For those choosing to camp, you’ll be able to rock up and unpack from 10am next Wednesday (March 27).

The festival has two entrances – one at the north end of the site and one at the south – with the latter being where all campers should roll in. Day patron drop-off, busses and taxi zones will also congregate at the south entry.

See below for the full Bluesfest site map, and a more detailed map of the dedicated event zone (ie. where all the bands will play).

LINEUP & SET TIMES

In true Bluesfest fashion, this year’s lineup features a suite of exclusive performers – in addition to the aforementioned five, punters will have the chance to see unique sets from Erja Lyytinen, Jackie Venson and Here Come The Mummies. There are 65 acts billed to perform across the long weekend, with many taking to the stage multiple times on different days – making it easier to catch a broader range of artists, and softening the blow of the inevitable clashes.

The full lineup arrived in six chunks, with the first landing in August of 2023. The second announcement came last September, followed by the third in November, the fourth in December, and the fifth in January. Jimmy Barnes’ appearance was announced in a special newsflash last month; Bluesfest will mark the Cold Chisel icon’s first live performance since he underwent open heart surgery.

For campers arriving early next Wednesday, the Delta Stage will host a special bill of intimate live performances from Brotherhood Of The Blues (performing from 6:15pm to 7pm), Emdee (7:30pm to 8:15pm) and Taj Farrant (8:45pm to 9:45pm).

Returning for Bluesfest 2024 will be the festival’s renowned busking competition. The busking stage will be open for the last four days of the festival, with sets running from 12:30pm to 5:40pm. Each evening, the stage will be closed out by a special guest who is not competing – Marshall & The Fro on Friday, Tay Oskee on Saturday, Bronte Eve & Blackline Band on Sunday, and Electrik Lemonade on Monday.

There will also be a suite of exclusive performances for those with VIP tickets, hosted in the Ballina Byron Gateway Airport VIP Lounge (which is just named for the airport, not actually situated there). Jerome Williams will perform an impressive four sets here, will Brotherhood Of The Blues and the Circus Cabaret Spotlight will play three times each.

See below for the full Bluesfest 2024 lineup, a breakdown of the set times across the full weekend, and the schedules for the busking stage and VIP stage. You can also download the official Bluesfest app to plan your adventures in realtime.

FULL LINEUP:

Tedeschi Trucks Band
Jimmy Barnes
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
Jerome Williams
Perry Street Park
Infectious Grooves
Yirrmal
Katie Melua
The Waifs
Brad Cox
Dirty Honey
Ben Swissa
Emdee
Da Manager
PJ Morton
Sweet Talk
Pierce Brothers
Snarky Puppy
Portugal. The Man
Meshell Ndegeocello
Fiona Boyes & The Fortune Tellers
Ziggy Alberts
Roshani
The Turner Brown Band
Blind Boys Of Alabama
Velvet Trip
Brotherhood Of The Blues
The Cruel Sea
Taj Mahal
Tim Finn
Ian Moss
Rickie Lee Jones
Dan Sultan
The Whitlams Black Stump
Playing For Change Band
Lisa Hunt: ‘Forever Soul’
Jackie Venson
Wilsn
Caravãna Sun
Coterie
Women Of Soul Collective
Jack Johnson
Tom Jones
The Teskey Brothers
Matt Corby
L.A.B
Elvis Costello & The Imposters
Peter Garrett & The Alter Egos
Tommy Emmanuel
The Dead South
The Paper Kites
Drive-By Truckers
Newton Faulkner
Steve Poltz
Allman Betts Family Revival
19-Twenty
Taj Farrant
Erja Lyytinen
Harry Manx
Here Come The Mummies
Clayton Doley’s Bayou Billabong
Little Quirks
Hussy Hicks
Blues Arcadia
Rockwiz Live

TICKETS

Tickets for Bluesfest 2024 are on sale now via Moshtix, with a litany of options to choose from. For starters, standard five-day passes will cost $656.15 (including fees) for adults aged 18 and up, $605.18 for youths aged 15 to 17, and $105.62 for children aged six to 14.

Three-day passes can be purchased in three configurations: one offering entry on Thursday, Friday and Saturday ($421.67 for adults, $391.08 for youths and $90.33 for children), one for Friday, Saturday and Sunday ($482.84 for adults, $452.25 for youths and $90.33 for children) and one for Saturday, Sunday and Monday ($421.67 for adults, $391.08 for youths and $90.33 for children).

Single-day tickets cost the same across the Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday – $202.47 for adults, $182.09 for youths and $54.65 for children – while Thursday tickets are slightly cheaper: $146.40 for adults, $126.01 for youths and $54.65 for children.

VIP and Platinum upgrades come as add-ons to the festival tickets, and will need to be purchased separately. In addition to the aforementioned lineup of exclusive performances, the standard VIP upgrade will offer priority lanes at both the north and south entries to the festival grounds, exclusive seating areas for the main stages, and access to the Ballina Byron Gateway Airport VIP Lounge (with exclusive chill-out areas, a bar and charging stations).

The standard VIP upgrade is only available for punters aged 18 and over, and costs $411.47 for a five-day pass, $309.52 for a three-day pass, $126.01 for single-day passes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and $105.62 for single-day passes on Thursday and Monday.

This year’s Bluesfest is the first to offer a Platinum VIP upgrade, which the festival’s team says is “designed for those who want the ultimate in luxury and exclusivity”. Promising a “truly unforgettable” experience, the ultra-limited passes will include access to an enhanced VIP bar, an exclusive Platinum backstage bar (promising “the epitome of luxury” with “a top-shelf selection of beverages that cater to the most refined tastes”), exclusive viewing areas at the very front of the Crossroads and Mojo stages, preferred parking, artist a la carte dining, and concierge service. Platinum pass holders will even be welcomed with a complimentary cocktail, “setting the tone for a weekend filled with luxury and excitement”.

Platinum upgrades are also exclusive to adult punters, and come with quite intense fees: $2,450.47 for a five-day pass, $1,532.92 for a three-day pass, $533.81 for single-day passes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and $513.42 for single-day passes on Thursday and Monday.

Separate tickets will also be purchased for camping (as well as camping extras, and vehicle passes for campers with caravans or campervans), parking, and official busses. More info on these add-ons can be found below in their respective sub-sections.

TRANSPORT & PARKING

As mentioned earlier, those driving into the festival grounds will see ample signage along the surrounding streets and the Pacific Highway. The official Bluesfest website notes that the Byron Events Farm is roughly five minutes out from Mullumbimby, 15 from Byron Bay, 35 from Ballina, 50 from Coolangatta and the Gold Coast Airport, an hour and ten minutes out from Surfers Paradise, an hour and 45 from Brisbane, two hours and 25 minutes from Coffs Harbour, and three hours and 25 minutes from Noosa.

For those driving in, parking will be available onsite for an additional fee. Five-day parking tickets cost $104.55, while three-day tickets cost $63.77, and single-day tickets cost $28.09. These will need to be purchased separately – head here for more info. It should be noted, though, that campers and motorbike drivers will be exempt from these fees.

Busses will run in and out of the festival on various schedules between seven routes, all of which can be seen below. You’ll need to purchase bus tickets online – find them here – and these too have variable price points.

For the routes spanning Byron Bay to Suffolk Park, Mullumbimby to Brunswick Heads, Billinudgel to New Brighton and Bangalow, five-day tickets will cost $104.55, three-day tickets will cost $63.77, and single-day tickets will cost $22.99. For the route spanning Kirra to Kingscliff, five-day tickets will cost $206.50, three-day tickets will cost $155.52, and single-day tickets will cost $54.65. And for the routes spanning Ballina to Lennox Head and Lismore via Bangalow, five-day tickets will cost $206.50, three-day tickets will cost $122.94, and single-day tickets will cost $43.38.

CAMPING & ACCOMODATION

Camping culture is alive and well at Bluesfest, being one of the event’s major drawcards. As mentioned earlier, though, campers will need to purchase additional tickets to enter the campsite – you can find those here. Five-day passes cost $294.23 for adults and youths aged 15 and up, and $100.52 for children aged six to 14. Three-day passes cost $176.99 for adults/youths and $59.74 for children. Single-day passes cost $90.33 for adults/youths and $34.26 for children.

Additionally, the festival offers a range of hassle-free camping options that come set-up in advance for punters who don’t feel like pitching their own tents. The most basic option is a spot in the Tent Motel area, which comes with a pre-pitched and carpeted tent, a 12-volt light and stretcher beds. Then there are the Rainbow Tipis, which the festival says “aim to add that something special to the Bluesfest experience”. These tall-standing tipis come with stretcher beds and foam mattresses, bedside tables and LED lanterns.

Lastly, there’s the ultimate Glamping experience that offers foam mattresses on custom pallet bases, a floor rug, side table, chair and clothes hook, as well as fresh towels, quality bed linen and pillows, a light and toiletries. Glampers will also have exclusive access to BBQ facilities, a communal lounge, VIP toilets and showers, a coffee and tea station, and dedicated onsite staff.

New for 2024, too, is Bluesfest’s purpose-built family camping space, which is further out from the festival grounds to minimise noise bleed, “but still close enough to get back and forth quickly”. Bonus accomodations for family campers include a kitchen and change room facilities. You’ll need to register directly for access to this part of the campsite: head here for info on how to do that.

KIDS & FAMILY WORKSHOPS

Families at Bluesfest can also take advantage of the KidzKlub installation offering child-friendly entertainment and activities across the whole weekend. The tent will be open from 12pm to 8pm on each day of the festival except Thursday, when it’s open from 2pm to 8pm. Head here to read more about the initiative, or scroll on to see the full schedule of activities on offer.

MARKET STALLS & FOOD VENDORS

As always, Bluesfest 2024 will be lined with market stalls offering the most amazing handmade goods, and food vendors doling out some of the most delicious eats you’ll ever experience. This year, punters can expect to weave their way around 35 market stalls, unlock their inner philanthropist at seven charity stalls, and snack on sweet and savoury treats from 39 food vendors. We’ve popped the full lists for each below, but you can also head here to read more about each one.

MARKET STALLS:

African Fabrics Australia
Blue Window Jewellery
Blu Cosmos
BSafe Mobile Lockers
Byron Leather
Dean Turner Art
Fairtale
Fairy Floss
FallenBrokenStreet
Gypsy Bazaar
Henna Haren
Hoi Polloi Byron Bay
Jenny Jazz Designs
Kashi
Leela Jewellery
Macdaddy Stompboxes
Murrucci Gourmet Meats
Ngurrbul Collection
The Museum Of Interactive Effigies
Natopia
Pachinko Hats
Pendragon Shoes
Sapoty’s Massage Stall
Shankara
Skumi
Soul Complexion / Georgie’s Body Art
Sparkle Lily
Summers Dreaming
Sunsara Jewellery
Take 2 Deep Breaths
The Feather Lady
The Knicker Parlour
Third Skystone
Wilde Aroma
Zaya & Kai

CHARITY STALLS:

Byron Youth Service Inc.
Container Of Dreams
Cystic Fibrosis Australia
Gondwana Rainforest Trust
Lifeline Direct
Rainforest 4 Foundation
Orangutan Foundation International Australia

FOOD VENDORS:

Authentic Turkish Street Food
Bao Time
Baylato
Black Crest Coffee
Brazzo Boys Brazilian BBQ
Byron Bay Organic Doughnuts
Byron Bay Twisters
Crusta Woodfired
Elizabeth Pop
Festival Tempura Mushrooms
Get Loaded
Greek Street Kantina
Jerry’s Pizza
Jerry’s Smokehouse
The Kranski Sisters
La French Crepes
Little Nova
Lucid Pure Vegetarian
Mr. Pulled Slow Cooked Meats
Pasta Pilgrim
Pedal Power Juice
Pipi Cucu Empanadas
Pizza Loca
Pocket Curries
Raijin Japanese Cuisine
Saltbush Lamb
Samba Catering Co.
Senoritas Mexican
Shiro Gelato & Snack
Sita’s Skewers
Thai Marquee
That Arancini Guy
Camper’s Cafe / The Bloody Good Food Co.
The Chippery Pomme Frites
The Churro Shack
The Groovy Burger Co.
Tiki Bowl
Wagyu Blacks
Yum Cha

ACCESSIBILITY

Making your way around Bluesfest should be a total breeze, whether you’re fully able-bodied or need certain accomodations. The grounds themselves are mostly flat grass and gravel, with smooth pathways for wheelchairs and mobility aids to navigate; the festival’s team does note, though, that busy periods (as well as times when it may rain) can make it a bit trickier than normal to make your way around the festival. They suggest bringing wheelchairs with large wheels.

All parking for the festival grounds is on grass with a gravel approach, and disabled parking areas will indeed be operated across the weekend. Disabled festivalgoers will also have access to a designated part of the campsite, and accessible facilities will be “strategically located around the festival site”.

Viewing platforms will be accessible at the Mojo and Crossroads stages, and are specifically designed for wheelchair users. One carer will be allowed to accompany each punter into these areas. On that note, Bluesfest will indeed honour the Companion Card system – carers will be entitled to free entry on each day that the person they’re accompanying has purchased a ticket for. The festival will also permit the use of Assistance Dogs within the festival grounds and campsite.

Furthermore, fixed seating for the general public will be available at the back of the Crossroads and Mojo tents, a First Aid station can be found next to the CD Tent, and each festival wristband will be printed with a number that punters can call in an emergency situation (as they’re advised not to call 000).

Head here for more info on Bluesfest’s accessibility plan.