06/10/2026
After 18 years, countless memories, and a whole lot of heart, we've made the incredibly difficult decision to bring Rifflandia Festival to a close. We held onto hope that we might be able to celebrate one final September together, but ultimately the realities of producing the festival we love made that impossible.
For nearly two decades, Rifflandia has been a labour of love. Despite the joy it brought and the millions of dollars it helped circulate through our local economy, the festival was never profitable. Every year, ticket prices covered only a portion of the true cost of producing the experience we believed Victoria deserved, and we continued because we loved what Riff represented and hoped the audience would one day grow enough to sustain it. After 15 festivals, rising costs, and the loss of access to a venue that could support the event, we can no longer ignore the reality that the model doesn’t work.
Riff became so much bigger than us — it became part of the fabric of Victoria, a place where friendships were formed, traditions were born, and generations of music fans grew up together. What happened on stage was only possible because of the people behind the scenes. To our staff, volunteers, artists, suppliers, partners, and everyone who helped build this magical world year after year — thank you. And to every person who ever bought a ticket, danced with friends, discovered a new favourite band, or made Rifflandia part of their September, thank you for carrying this festival with us for nearly two decades. You made it all worthwhile.
The full letter from Nick and Casey can be found at link in bio
