There will be no Homecoming Festival in 2026.
In a statement, Homecoming Festival director Moe Coffey said the current economic climate and rising costs of organising the large-scale event was a major reason for the difficult decision.
“This was an incredibly difficult decision,” said Mr Coffey.
“Homecoming is much more than a music festival, it’s a celebration of our Pasifika people, our culture, our music and the extraordinary legacy of our beloved George ‘Fiji’ Veikoso.
“George Fiji dreamed of creating something that brought our Pacific communities together through music, culture and connection.
“Following his passing, we felt an enormous responsibility to continue that vision and ensure Homecoming remained a place where his spirit could live on.
“Unfortunately, the current economic climate and the high costs of delivering an event of this scale means we simply cannot produce the festival to the standard our audience deserves and that we know George Fiji would expect.”
Mr Coffey said they would rather pause than deliver anything less than the Homecoming experience people expected and loved.
“We remain committed to exploring opportunities to bring homecoming back in the future and to finding meaningful ways to keep George’s dream and vision alive.”
