The boots-in-the-sand hoedown known as the Tortuga Music Festival is on its way back to Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, the annual pilgrimage of country-music fans taking place April 4-6.
The 2025 edition will feature two headliners at the height of their popularity in Luke Combs and Jelly Roll, along with crowd-pleasing heartthrob Keith Urban, who has not played the beach since 2018.
In addition to the headliners, Tortuga 2025 is particularly strong in No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, to borrow some buzzy March Madness lingo. They include Megan Moroney, Parker McCollum, Jordan Davis, Cody Jinks, Marcus King and up-and-comer Wyatt Flores.
Other performers to look forward to include Shaboozey (nominated for five Grammy Awards at ceremonies in February), pop-rock crooner Gavin DeGraw, Ludacris, The Original Wailers, rapper Yelawolf and Ezra Ray Hart, a collaboration featuring Kevin Griffin of Better Than Ezra, Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray and Emerson Hart of Tonic.
Also worth seeking out is a set by Delray Beach indie rockers Artikal Sound System on Friday at 3:35 p.m. The band, led by spirited vocalist Logan Rex, in February released a shimmering new album, “Are You Smiling Yet?”
Since its revelatory debut in 2013 with headliners Kenny Chesney and Eric Church, Tortuga has been one of South Florida’s great success stories, revealing the region as a country-music hotbed and showing what is possible for large gatherings of music fans.
During its first dozen years, Tortuga has been a model of efficient execution, moving 25,000 fans on and off the beach each day, with few law-enforcement issues reported. It has been named Festival of the Year by the Academy of Country Music three times, in 2016, 2019 and 2023.
This year’s festival has again made single-day tickets available, especially helpful to locals who lack the time or the cash to spend on a three-day pass. On the down side, the price for a single-day ticket is $199, an increase of 33% from the $149 charged in 2024. The price for single-day VIP tickets is $799, up 2.5% over the $779 charged last year.
Proceeds go to a good, locally relevant cause: Tortuga Music Festival was founded by nonprofit Rock the Ocean — created by part-time Fort Lauderdale resident Chris Stacey, a diver, ocean-environment advocate and music industry veteran — as the first large-scale music festival focused on ocean conservation.
You’ll find the Conservation Village is a centerpiece of the festival site and home to dozens of organizations that work on sustainability for the ocean and species that live in it. The festival has raised nearly $5 million for these initiatives. For more information, visit RockTheOcean.com.
Here is a look ahead to what you’ll find at Tortuga Music Festival 2025, the best way to get there, set times for your favorite acts and more. For more information, visit TortugaMusicFestival.com.
WHEN/WHERE
Tortuga Music Festival takes place Friday, April 4, through Sunday, April 6, at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, 1100 Seabreeze Blvd., north of the B Ocean Resort Fort Lauderdale Beach. Hours are noon to 10 p.m. each day. The main entrance is on the north side of the festival site, with the box office and will-call booth nearby, on the sand behind the Sunset Stage. The VIP box office is in the lobby of the B Ocean Resort, 1140 Seabreeze Blvd., on the south end of the site. There will be VIP entrances on the north and south ends.
SET TIMES
Acts will perform on three stages: The Main Stage on the south end of the site, Sunset Stage on the north end, and the tented Next from Nashville Stage in the middle.
Friday, April 4: Denitia (1:05 p.m.), Angie K (1:45 p.m.), Jenna LaMaster (1:50 p.m.), John Morgan (2:20 p.m.), Jade Eagleson (2:40 p.m.), Gavin DeGraw (2:50 p.m.), Bayker Blankenship (3:35 p.m.), Artikal Sound System (3:35 p.m.), Gary Allan (4:10 p.m.), Charlie Worsham (4:35 p.m.), Marcus King (5 p.m.), Parker McCollum (6 p.m.), Ludacris (7 p.m.), Jelly Roll (8:25 p.m.)
Saturday, April 5: Karley Scott Collins (1:05 p.m.), Ashland Craft (1:25 p.m.), Meghan Patrick (1:45 p.m.), Avery Anna (1:50 p.m.), Lily Rose (2:20 p.m.), Mae Estes (2:40 p.m.), Wheeland Brothers (2:50 p.m.), Bryce Leatherwood (3:35 p.m.), The Original Wailers (3:35 p.m.), Wyatt Flores (4:10 p.m.), Abby Anderson (4:35 p.m.), Ezra Ray Hart (5 p.m.), Jordan Davis (6 p.m.), Shaboozey (7 p.m.), Keith Urban (8:25 p.m.)
Sunday, April 6: Thomas Edwards (1:05 p.m.), Caylee Hammack (1:45 p.m.), Noah Hicks (1:50 p.m.), Restless Road (2:20 p.m.), Lanie Gardner (2:40 p.m.), Rodney Atkins (2:50 p.m.), Kashus Culpepper (3:35 p.m.), Bumpin Uglies (3:35 p.m.), Corey Kent (4:10 p.m.), Lauren Watkins (4:35 p.m.), Yelawolf (5 p.m.), Cody Jinks (6 p.m.), Megan Moroney (7 p.m.), Luke Combs (8:25 p.m.)
TICKETS
Tortuga Music Festival tickets are on sale at TortugaMusicFestival.com/passes. Reminder: You can exit and re-enter the festival once per day.
One-day passes: Single-day, general-admission tickets cost $199; single-day VIP passes cost $799.
Three-day passes: Three-day GA passes cost $355. The new three-day GA+ pass (including access to a dedicated lounge area with air-conditioned restrooms and a full-service bar) is $560+. Three-day VIP passes are $1,599, and Super VIP is $2,474 (there’s a wait list).
TRANSPORTATION
Parking: With no dedicated festival parking, using a ride-share service or the Water Taxi shuttle is encouraged. For information, visit TortugaMusicFestival.com/getting-here.
Water Taxi: During Tortuga, Water Taxi service will offer pickups every 20 to 30 minutes from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily from three departure points with nearby parking garages.
- Stop 1 — Riverside Hotel and Stranahan House: 335 SE Sixth Ave.
- Stop 4 — Hilton Marina and Convention Center, 1881 SE 17th St.
- Stop 8 — GALLERYone hotel, 2670 E. Sunrise Blvd., next to The Galleria mall (where parking is free)
Three-day Water Taxi passes cost $75; single-day passes cost $35. Passes must be purchased in advance. For more information, visit WaterTaxi.com.
Brightline: The high-speed rail line offers service to Fort Lauderdale from five departure points: Miami, Aventura, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Orlando. Groups of three or more get a 25% discount. For schedules and ticket information, visit GoBrightline.com.
BAG RULES
Bags will be searched on entry so, for the sanity of everyone behind you, know the rules: Only clear-plastic reusable bags no larger than 12-by-6-by-12 inches will be permitted (no plastic shopping/grocery bags). Smaller clutch purses and fanny packs measuring 6-by-9 inches or smaller do not have to be clear. CamelBak-style hydration packs that are 1.5 liters or less also do not have to be clear, along with diaper bags and medically necessary bags.
OK TO BRING THIS
Here are some of the items you’re allowed to bring onto the festival site: Sunscreen (nonaerosol), fanny packs, beach towel, snacks (one reusable gallon-sized bag of snacks is allowed), empty reusable water bottles (they can be filled for free at water stations inside), e-cigarettes, lawn chair (low-profile beach chairs, bag chairs, inflatable sofas allowed in the designated chair zone). Strollers (with accompanying child) are allowed.
DON’T BRING THAT
Among a long list of items not permitted at Tortuga are alcohol or any beverages, aerosol cans of any kind, glass containers, blankets, zoom-lens camera, iPad or tablet, GoPro camera, drone and other recording devices, coolers, umbrellas, tents, grills, flags/totems. For a complete list, visit TortugaMusicFestival.com/info.
CASH OUT
Tortuga is non-cash. Payments can be made with your wristband, if registered with the Tortuga App or at TortugaMusicFestival.com/info, as well as with credit and debit cards, Google Pay and Apple Pay. There will be stations inside the festival where you can transfer cash to a prepaid card.
Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and X @BenCrandell.