Another NSW festival feels the squeeze as PSYFARI cancels

Another NSW festival has seemingly fallen victim to the start government’s more stringent rules.

Earlier this week, TMN reported that Rabbits Eat Lettuce has moved to Queensland while Mountain Sounds drastically had to cut its lineup.

In the latest, PSYFARI has cancelled its September event – which was to have been both its 10^th anniversary and swansong.

Promoters posted on Facebook, “We're truly sad to have to cancel, we had exciting things planned.

“Our biggest line up ever was in the works, we had a venue with incredibly supporting owners on board, and also a backup site.”

They add, "We are unfortunate to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when festivals are the new scapegoat of a failed government and their failed war on drugs.”

The festival directly blamed the NSW government for the cancellation.

"When a state government's hobbies include shutting down entertainment districts and enthusiastically enforcing noise complaints, events can't be held too close to cities or built-up areas, meanwhile the same authorities complain that events in rural settings are too remote.

"While the attack on music festivals is more public than ever before, this has been a battle we've been fighting for years, at times behind closed doors.

“The fight is usually with those who have never attended such an event and truly don't understand what it's all about, yet they've shown no mercy in wiping these events out in order to make a political point.

"Either they don't seem to understand the desire for freedom and the desire to be part of a community, or they do understand and feel threatened by this.

"Excessive rules, bans on BYO alcohol, overly heavy police presences, this is not what we had in mind.”

PSYFARI promoters warned that increased costs for events would see ticket prices rise up to $500.

This would help phase festivals out, they said, saying that was the government’s intention.