Overview
Another one down: in a year that keeps bringing bad news for music lovers and festivalgoers, Spilt Milk has joined the long list of events that aren't going ahead in 2024. In 2023, the touring event announced its lineup in July. As the month draws to a close this year, it has revealed that there'll be no Spilt Milk again until 2025 rolls around.
The festival advised of its 2024 cancellation via social media, in a brief and informal post on Friday, July 26. "Sorry pookies, we couldn't get you the Spilt Milk you deserve this year," the announcement begins. "Sooo imma dip for a bit and come back when I can make all ur dreams come true. i miss u xx," it continues.
Last year, Post Malone, Dom Dolla, Latto, Tkay Maidza and Aitch led the Spilt Milk lineup, hitting up a fest that plays Canberra, Gold Coast, Ballarat and Perth. Talent details hadn't yet been advised for this year, unlike two other big festivals that also haven't taken place as normal. Both Groovin the Moo and Splendour in the Grass dropped lineups, then scrapped this year's fests mere weeks later.
Australia's music festival scene has been suffering of late, with Summergrounds Music Festival, which was meant to debut at Sydney Festival 2024, also ditching its plans. As announced in 2023, Dark Mofo took a breather this year — and Mona Foma, the summer fest also held by Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art, advised that its 2024 event was its last ever. Yours and Owls has postponed its next fest until 2025, too, but is hosting a pre-party in October this year.
Jordan Munns
Originally only popping up in Canberra, then expanding to Ballarat, then the Gold Coast and finally also to Perth, multi-city one-dayer Spilt Milk had cemented its spot as a must-attend event on the annual Aussie calendar, including for its lineups — and for its food offering as well, which spanned bites to eat from Chebbo's Burgers, 400 Gradi, Chicken Treat, and the BBQ and Beer Roadshow in 2023.
Flume, Stormzy and The Wombats were named as headliners in 2022 — the first Spilt Milk since the pandemic began — although Stormzy subsequently dropped out and cancelled his Australian tour. Khalid and Chvrches topped the bill in 2019, and Childish Gambino did the honours in 2018.
Jordan Munns
Cole Bennetts
Pat Stevenson
Spilt Milk isn't taking place in 2024, and instead plans to return to Canberra, Ballarat, the Gold Coast and Perth in 2025. Head to the festival website for more information.
Top image: Billy Zammit.