Laneway Festival will skip Adelaide and Perth in 2027, organizers announced Monday, August 10, reducing the long-running touring festival’s Australian footprint. The decision comes as the festival focuses on making each edition “the best it can be,” according to a statement shared on social media.
“Running so many shows, so close together, across so much ground is a logistical feat we are proud of,” organizers said, adding that the pause would also free up time for artists to bring headline shows to cities beyond festival stops.
For Queensland, the news is more positive. After a one-off 2026 edition on the Gold Coast at Southport Sharks—the festival’s first time in the region—Laneway’s northern leg will return to the Brisbane Showgrounds in 2027. The Brisbane edition first launched in Fortitude Valley in 2007 before relocating to the Showgrounds in 2013.
In 2027, Laneway will run across four cities: Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland. Venues, dates and lineup details will be announced soon.
The move reflects pressures facing Australia’s festival sector, which has seen cancellations and collapses in recent years. Splendour in the Grass cancelled its 2024 edition, while Falls Festival and Groovin the Moo have scrapped events amid rising costs and softening ticket sales. Laneway, which began in 2005 as a Melbourne-exclusive event, has expanded internationally to Singapore and Detroit and remains one of the sector’s more resilient players.
Source: Billboard
