Bondi Beach NYE festival canceled

Photo Credit: Fuzzy

A New Year’s Eve festival at Bondi Beach has been cancelled by its promoter after an antisemitic mass shooting occurred this past weekend, killing 16 people.

Promoter Fuzzy said the decision was made to cancel the event in consultation with Waverley Council and out of respect for those affected. The New South Wales Police are also continuing their investigation of the shooting suspect. Here’s the full statement from event organizers below.

“Our hearts are with everyone affected by the tragedy at Bondi Beach,” the statement begins. “What happened has deeply shaken our community and all who call this place home.”

“We have been working closely with Waverley Council over the past couple of days, focusing on compassion and care for Sydney’s Jewish community and all those impacted, allowing NSW Police to further progress their investigations.”

“Hand-in-hand with Waverley Council we need to inform you that the planned New Year’s Eve events at Bondi Beach, elrow Bondi Beach XXL and Locals Lawn Family Zone, will not be going ahead.”

“All ticketholders have now been contracted via email and elrow Bondi Beach XXL ticketholders will receive an automatic full refund, processed back to their original payment method within 7 business days.”

“Our team includes many who live in and love Bondi. We built these events to reflect everything Bondi stands for: community, coming together, joy, connection, and inclusivity. We know thousands from our community, Australia, and abroad were looking forward to seeing New Year’s Eve return to Bondi Beach for the first time in over a decade, but in Bondi we look out for each other, especially in moments of heartbreak. When the time is right, we will come back together with the same spirit of care, connection, and joy that defines us.”

Event promoter Fuzzy secured the license for a new Bondi Beach NYE celebration earlier this year with a capacity for around 15,000 people. The festival was positioned as a new alternative to Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations. The elrow event would be an 18+ ticketed event, while the Locals Lawn Family Zone was pitched as a family-friendly festival with food trucks, roaming entertainment, and a 9pm fireworks show.

Lineup for the now-canceled festival included HoneyLuv, Kölsch, Patrick Topping and TSHA, William Kiss, Adam Holt & Nats, Callyy, Darkhorse & Grouse, Jakob, Mixed Methode and Shubz. Bondi Beach’s last NYE celebration was more than a decade ago as home to the Shore Thing Festival before its cancellation in 2014.