The Rise & Fall Of Easterfest

Podcast: The Rise & Fall Of Easterfest
Host: Justin Rouillon
Category: Music
Sub-Category: Festivals & Events, Music History, Religion
First Episode: 2025

In the late 90’s a group of Toowoomba business people, civic leaders and the city’s church community come together with an audacious plan – stage a gospel music festival that will bring people into the city over the Easter weekend. Despite humble beginnings, Easterfest (formerly the Australian Gospel Music Festival) grew to achieve major event status in Queensland, and became one of the largest ticketed drug and alcohol free events in the southern hemisphere. But only a few years after their biggest event, Easterfest became yet another casualty of the music festival business. It’s been a decade since the final festival in 2015, and this podcast series will look back at how Easterfest grew to become a major player in Christian music internationally, and the events that led to the event coming to an end. It’s a celebration of almost two decades of music, community and a spirit of unity, with the story told by the organisers, volunteers and the musicians that graced the stages of Easterfest. The Rise & Fall of Easterfest is written and hosted by Justin Rouillon and is a production of 96five Studios.

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