Jessie Parker Steps Down as Laneway Festival Director After 17 Years

Laneway's Jessie Parker has announced she is stepping down after 17 years with the long-running Australian music festival.

Parker announced the news on LinkedIn on Monday (August 17th), confirming she will finish up at the end of August. 

“After 17 years with Laneway Festival, and six incredible years at the helm as General Manager / Festival Director, it is time for me to wrap up this chapter and step down at the end of this month,” she wrote.

Parker joined Laneway in 2010 as an Event Assistant, before working her way through the festival’s ranks and eventually taking charge of its touring events across Australia and New Zealand as General Manager and Festival Director. 

“Reflecting on where it all started back in 2010 as an Event Assistant, I never could have imagined the wild, rewarding journey ahead,” she continued. “To go from managing resident comms and running accred around the site, to leading six simultaneous touring events across Australia and New Zealand has been the privilege of a lifetime.”

Her departure follows a significant period for Laneway, which last year won the inaugural ARIA Award for Best Festival. Parker also pointed to the festival taking home Music Event of the Year in New Zealand in 2026 as among the achievements she was most proud of during her tenure. 

However, she said the work beyond the festival itself had been particularly meaningful, including her involvement with the Australian Festivals Association board and NSW Music Festivals Roundtable during a challenging period for Australia’s live music sector.

“Championing our industry through my work on the Australian Festivals Association board and the NSW Music Festivals Roundtable has been deeply meaningful during a transformative era for live music,” Parker wrote.

She also paid tribute to the artists, crews, suppliers, partners and staff she has worked alongside over nearly two decades. “More than anything, I am endlessly grateful for the people,” she wrote. “The artists, crews, suppliers, partners, and team members I met early on - many of whom I’m still lucky enough to work alongside today, are what made this job so special.”

Parker has not yet announced her next move, but said she is “excited for what comes next and fully open to new opportunities".