Just 17 days before its scheduled date, the popular Horrorween Festival – one of Sydney’s top queer Halloween parties – has announced it will downsize to a smaller venue and reduce its ticket price.
Due to rising costs and challenges in the NSW festival landscape, organisers announced on Wednesday that the event will move from the 5500-capacity Hordern Pavilion at Moore Park's Entertainment Quarter to the smaller Liberty Hall next door, which holds up to 1200 people.
GAYM Entertainment, the event’s producer, broke the news via Instagram, stating that the downsizing will come with a reduced ticket price of $119, with partial refunds issued to current ticketholders. Tickets were originally $162.95 including booking fees.
“This change of venue offers a more intimate setting and provides the perfect backdrop for getting up close and personal with your favourite characters and performers this Halloween,” the official Instagram statement said.
Despite the smaller venue, organisers reassured attendees that all headline acts will still perform, with Liberty Hall promising a multi-tiered experience and the same high level of production fans have come to expect.
"You can still expect GAYM’s signature big room production … and an unmatched vibe similar to previous Horrorween instalments!" Horrorween's Instagram statement said.
In a separate emailed statement to Gay Sydney News, GAYM Entertainment owner Jesse Lawson elaborated on the decision to downsize.
“Most people are aware of the difficulties and high costs associated with music festivals and large-scale dance parties here in NSW," he said. "Horrorween Festival is no different."
Lawson noted that securing Liberty Hall on such short notice was fortunate, though it comes with its own challenges. “There are definitely challenges with moving an event of this scale but nothing we aren't able to work through,” he said.
To avoid capacity issues, the event will no longer have an outdoor stage, ensuring all attendees have access to the performances. Lawson also confirmed that, based on the new capacity, the event is nearly sold out.
By no longer having the outdoor stage, every ticketholder will have access to views of the performers and headliners that they paid for, Lawson said.
Ticketholders will automatically receive partial refunds, and full refunds will be available for those unable to attend, with Ticketek managing the refund process.
Lawson said GAYM was able to offer reduced ticket prices because moving venues allowed them to “reduce costs (police, medical, venue, staff etc.) and we thought it was necessary to pass this on to our loyal customer base".
While the festival’s headline acts will still perform at Liberty Hall, none are scheduled for GAYM's afterparties, DéjàVu and Morning Gory, which will go on sale later this week.
Announced on September 9, Horrorween revealed its DJ lineup featuring Dani Brasil, Mario Beckman, Nat Valverde, Sam Gee, Tommy Trash, and John Course. DJs Kid Kenobi, Sgt Slick, and Some Sheila were initially scheduled to perform on the outdoor stage but will no longer participate.
The event will showcase a range of music styles, including circuit, house, tech, and disco.
Horrorween’s full lineup will be released later this week, Lawson said. That announcement is likely to include the drag performers headlining the night.
Horrorween restricted comments on Wednesday's post about downsizing its venue.
Rival party Halloween Wh*res, which skipped last year, has returned this year and will be held at Kinselas, but tickets have sold out. Tickets for Poof Doof's HalloQween are still available though, with third-release tickets priced at $71.16.
Ben Grubb is the founder and editor of Gay Sydney News, an independent publication covering LGBTQIA+ news. A journalist with more than 15 years' experience, he has reported and edited for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, WAToday, Brisbane Times, The Australian Financial Review, News.com.au, ZDNet, TelecomTimes and iTnews, primarily on the topic of technology. He previously hosted The Informer, a queer current affairs program on Melbourne’s JOY 94.9 radio station, and contributes to LGBTQIA+ media including Stun Magazine. Ben has also appeared as a technology commentator on Channel Ten's The Project, ABC RN’s Download This Show and commercial radio stations 2UE, 2GB and 6PR. Contact Ben: [email protected]
