"A fantastic success" is how Easter in the Byron Shire is being described.
It's an unbelievable turnaround from the disappointment felt from the shock cancellation of Bluesfest in mid-March.
"Because I was out and about, I knew that venues were full, the music was great and people were having a great time and my conversations with businesses, police and other stakeholders last week confirmed this," Byron Shire Mayor, Sarah Ndiaye, said.
"To everyone who played a part in the Easter weekend - my sincere thanks for your support," Mayor Ndiaye said.
"When Bluesfest was cancelled three weeks before Easter our Shire did what we do best and rallied, putting on a world-class line-up of artists in established venues in Brunswick Heads and Byron Bay over the four-day weekend.
"The result was spectacular with sell-out shows, happy patrons, and even happier businesses who would not normally have benefitted from Bluesfest patrons.
"The NSW Government came to the party and provided free buses across the Shire which were incredibly successful given we only had one day to promote the services.
"More than 1,000 people used the buses to get around the Shire, with the biggest take-up being from the north of the Shire.
"This has shown the NSW Government that there is an appetite for this type of public transport during holiday periods.
"I hope we get ongoing funding for this type of service because it is a winner on so many levels with less cars on the roads and accessible and affordable transport for our community which is a rare thing indeed.
"Now that we know that Easter in the Byron Shire is more than Bluesfest, I can only imagine what we can do with time and I can't wait," Mayor Ndiaye said.
"Council will be meeting with key stakeholders including venues, chambers of commerce, Police, bus operators and Destination Byron to get feedback and discuss options for 2027," she said.
