As previously reported, this Queen’s Birthday weekend was to see a brand new addition to NSW’s music festival calendar, with the inaugural launch of the Vagabond Music Festival over the weekend of June 8th and 9th.
Sadly, organisers have announced that Vagabond has been “postponed until further notice,” citing poor timing as a major contributing factor to lacklustre ticket sales for the event, to be held on an orchard farm in the picturesque Kangaroo Valley, as TheMusic reports.
Despite a budget price of $75, which gave a potential 3,000 festival-goers access to camping and a lineup featuring Guineafowl, Lurch & Chief, APES, Fishing, Canyons, The Bedroom Philosopher, and more, the festival was struggling for ticket sales.
Last Friday, the festival announced that all tickets purchased to the inaugural festival were being converted to ‘Golden Tickets’ that gave punters admission to “every Vagabond Music Festival ever! Including any other season edition!”
But with the announcement of lifetime entry for early Vagabond adopters, Festival Director Adam Taylor also hinted at the slow sales, saying: “This year is going to be a more intimate affair but we’re in for the long haul and we’re going to look after the people that supported us in the very beginning…” “In order to present a festival that will deliver maximum experience for all participants (bands and punters) we are investigating a more suitable date.” – Cameron Taylor, Festival Director
Despite their best intentions, Taylor and the Vagabond team yesterday announced their regrets that the “the inaugural Vagabond Music Festival has been postponed until further notice.”
“The reason for cancelling is that the number of tickets sold was far short of the numbers we needed to produce the event,” wrote Taylor. “We’ve received lots of feedback and found that the winter timing was less than ideal. It’s just too darn cold for most people. In order to present a festival that will deliver maximum experience for all participants (bands and punters) we are investigating a more suitable date.”
Adding: “We sincerely thank all supporters who purchased tickets and advise that all tickets purchased to date will be fully refunded within the coming week. We ask patrons to allow for up to a week for their refunds to be processed and advise us of any issues via [email protected]”
Vagabond was to be held on the property belonging to Taylor’s 83-year-old grandfather, Ray Harrisson, who had spent four years working for his orchard farm to be suitable and festival ready, gaining approval from the Shoalhaven City Council for the event. Vagabond also had the support and collaboration of Mission Australia, a Sydney charity that provides free creative programs to disadvantages youth facing mental health issues, homelessness and unemployment.
“After four years working to launch this event I sincerely apologise for the inconvenience to those that have purchased tickets, to the very cool team that gave their time to help establish the festival, to those that were keen to volunteer or hold a stall and of course to all the bands that were preparing to play,” wrote Director Adam Taylor.
