The crowd from a previous Changing Tides Festival. Photo: Mitch Lowe.
Changing Tides Festival has been pulled just weeks before it was due to bring thousands of music lovers to Kiama — and organisers say it won’t return.
The shock cancellation marks the end of one of the region’s most promising young festivals, leaving fans, businesses, and the town’s tourism sector feeling the loss.
In a message to the public on Friday (24 October), organisers said they were “heartbroken” to have to cancel the event, which was expected to attract 10,000 punters but struggled with low ticket sales.
It was to be held on 22 November at the Kiama Showgrounds with a line-up boasting Sam Fender, Noah Cyrus, The Rubens, Skegss and the triple j Unearthed winner.
“This decision hasn’t been made lightly, and we’re so grateful for all the love, energy and support from those who believed in our little coastal dream,” organisers said.
A history of running successful music events through the family business had inspired Simon Felice to branch out on his own and host the inaugural Changing Tides Festival in 2023.
Simon’s family previously owned Crooked River Wines at Gerringong for 25 years, which was where he first got a taste for running music events.
When Changing Tides launched in 2023, that summer the Kiama area hosted a string of major music festivals, including Clearly Music and Arts Festival, Crooked River Dave Ferrit Festival and the Red Hot Summer Tour.
This year, Clearly Festival was replaced with a festival with DJ sets, a run of artist gigs including You Am I and The Angels, and workshops at the Kiama Pavilion, rather than a major festival. None of the other festivals are running in Kiama.
It’s a sign of the times, after a string of festival cancellations around the country during the past few years due to poor ticket sales and rising operating costs.
Kiama Mayor Cameron McDonald said the cancellation was a loss keenly felt by the Kiama community, including its music-loving community and visitor economy, which had benefited from the event in previous years.
While online some blamed Kiama Council for the cancellation, Cr McDonald said council had been fully supportive of the event.
“Changing Tides has become a highlight of our events calendar, bringing colour, culture, and connection to Kiama,” he said.
“Following the research done to produce the Kiama Major Events Impact Report, it’s clear that support for suitable major events is strong across our community.
“Council has long supported the festival and was not involved in the organisers’ decision to cancel.
“We recognised its past positive contribution to our local economy and community spirit, and we share the disappointment of everyone who was looking forward to this year’s event.”
Tourism and Economic Advisory Committee chair and councillor Matt Brown agreed the cancellation was a significant loss for Kiama, leaving a gap in the events calendar and in the hearts of those who looked forward to it each year.
“It’s very disappointing news from a festival that catered to and won the hearts of a younger demographic,” Cr Brown said.
“Rest assured, we’ll be engaging with other event promoters to ensure we maintain the momentum and continue delivering vibrant experiences for our community in future years.”
Council said it understood the complex challenges facing event organisers today, from rising operational costs to shifting audience behaviours, and remained committed to supporting events that aligned with its Destination Kiama brand promise and brought vibrancy to the community.
During its inaugural festival in 2023, Simon had said he was passionate about the South Coast and showing what was possible in the region.
“I wanted to put something forward that’s going to create a platform for music artists and put the South Coast on the map and say, ‘Hey, we are a proper destination for upcoming music artists and international artists so it becomes a sought-after and very recognised destination,” he said.
Events organisers were contacted for further comment but did not respond.
Fans have been told tickets will be refunded, with more information on its website.
