In a devastating blow, the 2025 Byron Writers Festival (BWF) was cancelled last weekend after a successful, though wet, Friday session.
As we know, organisers cancelled events at the main festival site owing to the weather conditions, parking conditions, and the predicted ongoing rain.
‘Though we had a wonderful but wet first day, the safety of our community was our highest priority. The forecast conditions made it impossible to continue the event safely,’ Festival Artistic Director, Jessica Alice, told The Echo.
Festival organisers were nonetheless able to run all satellite events, including the Poets Out Loud Youth Slam, Guardian Australia’s ‘Are you Game Show’ and Beyond the Lines, and limited Sunday sessions.
Refunds available
Byron Writers Festival is offering full refunds for Saturday and Sunday ticket holders, and a two-thirds refund for three-day pass holders.
‘Unfortunately, the festival’s insurance did not cover this specific scenario,’ said a festival spokesperson.
‘Insurance access and affordability is a major issue in the Northern Rivers and for outdoor festivals and small arts organisations, which has only increased in recent years since the Northern Rivers floods and Cyclone Alfred.
If Australia wants to continue to have a vibrant cultural sector, we urgently need a festival insurance scheme that guarantees against loss for extreme weather events in a rapidly changing climate.
A mission to support the community
‘The festival is hopeful about its future but will require support. Byron Writers Festival has always made it our mission to support our community. We hope you, our community, will now support us by choosing to donate your ticket costs or seek a partial refund.’
If you choose to donate your ticket back to the BWF that portion of the ticket price can also be a tax-deductible donation.
If they haven’t heard from ticket holders in the 28-day period, they will assume you are donating your refund and don’t require a receipt.
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