Tragedy has struck the much-loved Bluesfest in Byron Bay, which wrapped up proceedings last night, as a 49-year-old attendee died whilst waiting for headliner John Fogerty to perform.
The award winning festival has been running for 23-years and rarely sees any issues, which is amazing given that over 80,000 people attended the festival this year across the five days of music and art programming.
According to News Limited, the 49-year-old woman from Tumbulgum went into cardiac arrest around 10.30pm as she sat and waited for the former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman to take the stage.
Fogerty’s set was delayed by organisers for 20 minutes while paramedics responded. According to Police Inspector Gary Cowan a number of witnesses reporting seeing the woman looking ill before slumping in her chair.
By the time paramedics arrived however she was no longer breathing and despite numerous attempts she was unable to be revived. Police are not treating her death as suspicious, but are waiting for an autopsy to find out her exact cause of death.
Sadly, it isn’t the only death to have occurred at an Australian music festival this year.A 34-year-old man died at Rainbow Serpent in Victoria back in January from a suspected drug overdose.
Bluesfest venue manager Brendan Meek issed a statement to the family of the woman saying her death had “really hit everybody hard” but that “she was at a place she loved. She came to Bluesfest every year.”
No other major incidents were recorded at the festival this year, which had the driest weather in the event’s history. Organisers had worked hard before this year’s event to install new roads and walkways to weather-proof their new festival site, Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, in the event of downpours.
However, Mother Nature decided to give the festival a break, with patrons swapping gumboots for sunscreen under perfect blue skies and clear, full-moon-lit nights.
