Laneway Festival Director Jessie Parker to Step Down After 16 Years

Jessie Parker, the director of Australia and New Zealand's Laneway Festival, has announced her departure after a 16-year tenure, according to a LinkedIn post shared on August 17. The festival's longest-serving festival director revealed she will leave her role at the end of the month, stating she is "ready to wrap up this chapter."

Parker began her career at Laneway as an event assistant and gradually ascended to her current position as general manager and festival director. Over the past decade, she led six touring events across Australia and New Zealand, which culminated in the festival's most successful 2025 run, drawing 200,000 attendees to sold-out shows in major cities.

The accolades for Parker include winning the inaugural ARIA Award for Best Festival and being named Music Event of the Year in New Zealand. Parker's professional contributions extend beyond the festival itself, as she has served on the Australian Festivals Association board and the NSW Music Festivals Roundtable during a transformative period for live music.

While she did not disclose her future plans, Parker expressed excitement for what lies ahead and remains open to new opportunities. Laneway, part of the TEG group, co-founded by Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio, has not yet announced a successor. The company recently announced a scaled-back lineup for the 2027 tour, eliminating Adelaide and Perth from the itinerary, focusing instead on Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland.

This decision comes amid challenging times for Australia's festival sector, marked by recent cancellations and closures. Laneway's 2026 edition celebrated its 21st anniversary with a lineup featuring artists like Chappell Roan, Wet Leg, Wolf Alice, PinkPantheress, Geese, and Lucy Dacus.