Vivid, Bluesfest, Blues on Broadbeach all winners at Australian Event Awards

The important roles of music festivals – in terms of innovation, efficient operation and as tourism draws – were recognised at the hotly-contested 2017 Australian Event Awards this week. 

Vivid Sydney, the 28^th Bluesfest Byron Bay and Queensland’s Blues On Broadbeach were among major winners.

Held in Caloundra, Queensland, the black-tie event recognises Australia’s best events and event-related goods, services and innovations regardless of the size of their attendance figures. 

Vivid Sydney took out Best Tourism Event drawing 2.33 million people and contributing over $143 million to the NSW economy, according to Destination NSW. It sold 65,491 international travel packages (48.3% increase on 2016) and 70,350 domestic packages (up 59.1%).

In this category it beat Bluesfest, Blues On Broadbeach, and  Santos Tour Down Under. 

Vivid also took out Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event, winning over Bluesfest, White Night Ballarat and last year’s Splendour in The Grass.

Bluesfest won Best Regional Event for the second consecutive year, beating fellow music events Blues On Broadbeach and Splendour.

Bluesfest has an international reputation for the strength of its bills, its ability to draw over 100,000 punters each year, its trouble-free vibe and its financial contributions to the local community.

Now in its 16^th year, the free Blues on Broadbeach took out Queensland’s Best Regional Event and the state’s Best Tourism Event. 

In the state/territory categories of Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event, WOMADelaide took it out for South Australia, White Night Ballarat for Victoria and City of Joondalup’s Kaleidoscope Festival for West Australia.

Kaleidoscope also picked up the trophy for WA’s Best New Event.