Overview
Seems Melbourne's Americana-centric festival didn't float with as many Sydneysiders as hoped — the Sydney chapter of the Out on the Weekend festival has been cancelled.
Pointing to poor ticket sales, the OOTW organisers have pulled the plug on the event just a few days before it was due to take over Bella Vista Farm. Planned for this Saturday, October 24, the festival would have seen headliners like Kasey Chambers, Dawes, Sam Outlaw, Jonny Fritz, Ruby Boots and Jamestown Revival, food stalls from the likes of Porteno and Mary's, and a heck of a lot of harmonica solos.
The festival organisers posted a statement on their Facebook page this afternoon:
"We regret to advise that due to less than anticipated ticket sales, we are no longer proceeding with Out On The Weekend at Bella Vista Farm on October 24. While our expectations were not huge, we are greatly surprised at the lack of sales and cannot proceed both financially or logistically with the number of tickets sold."
Ticketholders for the Sydney event will indeed receive refunds. Oztix will automatically refund the ticket price directly back to the credit card on which the order was purchased, within five to ten working days. But in a move of good faith, Out on the Weekend is offering Sydney ticketholders a free ticket to a couple of the billed artists locked in for sideshows: Jamestown Revival on October 22 and Sam Outlaw, Jonny Fritz and Shelly Colvin on October 25 at Newtown Social Club. In order to nab a free ticket, all ticketholders have to do is reply to an special Oztix email by 5pm AEST Wednesday, October 25 (obviously only ticketholders will have this email).
Poor ticket sales have squashed another Sydney music festival of late, with Soulfest cancelling its 2015 instalment for the same reason. Sad stuff.
Pop over to the Out on the Weekend website for more info.