The Five Best Byron Bay Festivals to Travel For

This article is sponsored by our partners, Byron Bay Council. To book your Byron Bay festival holiday, visit legendarybyron.com.au.

Historically, Bluesfest might be the most famous shindig on the Byron Bay calendar. But if you've a tendency to limit your North Coast escapades to an annual Easter visit, you're truly missing out.

Byron's got a pretty full organiser with plenty of festivities bubbling all year around — from the glorious aural Meccas of Splendour in the Grass and Falls Music and Arts Festival, to the erudite musings of the Writers Festival and the locally-sourced smorgasbord on offer at Sample. Here are the five best reasons to get behind a kombi wheel and find the '60s still swinging up the Pacific Highway.

SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS

What started back in 2001 as a relatively modest one-day festival has transmogrified into one of Australia's biggest national events. From July 25 – 27 over 90 artists — Outkast, Interpol, Lily Allen, Foals and London Grammar among them — will converge on North Byron Parklands for three days of must-see sets. But it's not all about the ears, with installations, panels, comedy, food and pop-up bars aplenty onsite.

"Now there’s an expectation that festivals do a lot more than music, and art is one of the essential elements," explains Splendour Arts curator Craig Walsh. "I try to create a program which can integrate across the site itself and create different kinds of experiences for audiences... We try to support new and experimental work and we see that as adding to the identity of the festival."

Splendour in the Grass runs July 25 – 27 at North Byron Parklands.

BYRON BAY WRITERS FESTIVAL

Just days after Splendour comes to an end, poets and playwrights will pour into Byron for the Writers Festival. Held August 1 on Belongil Beach at the North Byron Beach Resort, the festival attracts some serious names up north. This year, the BBWF lineup's big tickets include Richard Clapton in conversation with David Leser, John Safran discussing true crime novel Murder in Mississippi and a John Weiley retrospective presented by Kerry O'Brien.

"It’s a very relaxed format," says founding chair Chris Hanley. "It’s tents by the sea, so it’s very interactive... You can glide from session to session and taste what is going on. You can wander and sit on the beach. There is no other literary festival I know of with such a beautiful site."

Byron Bay Writers Festival runs August 1 – 3 at Belongil Beach, North Byron Beach Resort.

SAMPLE FOOD FESTIVAL

A true foodie pilgrimage, Sample celebrates the distinctive flavours of North Coast fare. For one day of feasting on September 13, the Bangalow Showground will flood with local producers, farmers, celebrity chefs and exhibitors for this colossal food festival.

Indulge in $5 and $10 tasting plates, get busy with classes covering everything from raw foods to cheesemaking, watch cooking demos and kick back to live music. With over 15,000 visitors are expected to attend, Sample is one of Byron's premier food events.

Sample runs 8am – 4pm on September 13 at Bangalow Showground.

BYRON BAY SURF FESTIVAL

Unlike many other surf fests — centred around checking out who's mastering the biggest, most untameable waves right now — Byron Bay Surf Festival is a truly all-encompassing event for surfers and punters alike.

Last year's festival involved ancient Hawaiian Olo demos featuring Dave Rastovich and Tom Wegener, surf yoga sessions,  wooden surfcraft workshops, a money-free surf swap meet and a rule-free surf comp open to beginner, expert and in-betweener surfers. So far, 2014 is promising a Surf Shorts Film Comp (get your entries in asap), with the remainder of the program soon to be announced.

Byron Bay Surf Festival runs October 24 – 26 at Byron Bay and at various spots throughout Byron's town centre.

FALLS MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL

Every year, thousands of live music aficionados flock to the three-day Falls Music and Arts Festival in Lorne, Victoria and Marion Bay, Tasmania, to usher in the new year. Last year, Byron nabbed its own piece of Falls action, holding the very first edition at North Byron Parklands.

With the artists hopping across the three festivals in an applause-worthy feat of logistics, Falls fuses exceptionally high-quality lineups (with a noted emphasis on blues and roots) with stunning natural landscapes and all the chai you could possibly drink. This year's program is yet to be announced, but if you're after a guaranteed thumbs up of a New Year's Eve you should lock this one in already.

Falls Festival runs December 30 – January 15 at North Byron Parklands.

Image by Paul Smith.

Feeling festive? Head to legendarybyron.com.au and get planning your Byron Bay holiday.