Dust off those earbuds. The major music festivals in Miami and across South Florida are turning up the heat for 2024.
The first quarter of the year is super loaded with some of the best festivals the season has to offer, be it the largest reggaeton festival in America, a beachside dance party on Virginia Key, and, oh yes, Ultra Music Festival.
As of press time, some big questions are still looming for the tail end of 2024: When will Rolling Loud dates be confirmed? Is another Riptide Music Festival in Fort Lauderdale in the works? And, in bad news, Okeechobee Music & Art Festivalannounced it would be skipping this year.
But never mind what's still in limbo. Here are the ten best music festivals in South Florida in 2024 that pique our ears and interests.
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In a short time, Vibra Urbana has positioned itself as the largest music festival dedicated to reggaeton and urbano music.
Vibra Urbana photo
Vibra Urbana
For the past few editions, Vibra Urbana has taken place in December, a weird time for a music festival in Miami. Sure, the weather is fantastic, but it can be challenging to cut through the noise between the buzz surrounding Art Basel and the holidays. Luckily, the festival, now produced by AEG, has chosen to return in February for its 2024 edition, the same month it launched in 2020 at the Watsco Center. During its short existence, it has quickly become the largest music festival dedicated to reggaeton and urbano music in the United States. This year's headliners are Anuel AA and Rauw Alejandro, with the likes of Bizarrap, Farruko, Jay Wheeler, and Arcángel also on the bill. Saturday, February 17, and Sunday, February 18, at Miami-Dade County Fair & Expo, 10901 SW 24th Street, Miami; vibraurbanafest.com. Tickets cost $149 to $999 via axs.com.
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We Belong Here delivers a boutique music festival experience on Virginia Key.
We Belong Here photo
We Belong Here
The lux and intimate boutique festival had quite a year of growth last year. It expanded from one day to two days with headliners performing three-hour extended sets, unveiled VIP table service from SLS Hyde Beach, and a new stage dubbed Lost Village. Count on all of the aforementioned for the 2024 festival, in addition to headlining sets from EDM legends Bob Moses, Duke Dumont, and dozens of other turntable wizards mixing beachside all weekend. Saturday, February 24, and Sunday, February 25, at Virginia Key Beach, 4020 Virginia Beach Dr., Miami; webelonghere.world. Tickets cost $60 to $375 via posh.vip.
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Don't let the name fool you — Jazz in the Gardens' lineup offers everything from jazz and blues to R&B, soul, and hip-hop.
Jazz in the Gardens photo
Jazz in the Gardens
Jazz may be in its name, but there is oh-so-much-more musical excellence to this two-day affair than just jazz. For two days in March, Hard Rock Stadium is morphed into a diverse musical utopia, with acts representing everything from jazz and blues to R&B, soul, and hip-hop. This year's lineup includes multiplatinum R&B soulstress Summer Walker headlining day one and Maxwell and producer extraordinaire Babyface leading the bill on day two. Jeezy, Jaheim, Tink, and Omarion will perform throughout the weekend. Saturday, March 9, and Sunday, March 10, at Hard Rock Stadium, 347 Don Shula Dr., Miami Gardens; jazzinthegardens.com. Tickets cost $105 to $599.50 via ticketmaster.com.
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Calle Ocho stands out for being one of Miami's only free music festivals.
Photo by Michael Campina
Calle Ocho
Memorable music spectacles don't need to come with a payment plan. Case in point: Calle Ocho. The annual celebration along SW Eighth Street is totally free. (There is a VIP ticket option for special stage viewing.) While this year's headliners haven't been announced yet, count on the carnaval magic to remain, with Cuban reggaeton duo Gente de Zona as this year's designated kings. Also, count on 15 blocks of festival euphoria, with vendors, grub, and asses shaking everywhere. Sunday, March 12, on Calle Ocho between SW 12th and 27th Avenues, Miami; carnavalmiami.com. Admission is free; VIP passports cost $135 via eventbrite.com.
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Ultra Music Festival continues to be Miami's crown jewel.
Photo by Alive Coverage for Ultra Music Festival
Ultra Music Festival
In a music festival climate where concert promoters Live Nation and AEG seemingly run everything, Ultra Music Festival stands out for the fact that it's one of the largest festivals in the U.S. that is still run entirely independently. What started in 1999 as a party on the beach has morphed into a behemoth of one of the most important dates in the dance music industry. Ultra will return to Bayfront Park March 22-24 with a packed lineup that includes Armin Van Buuren, Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Peggy Gou, Steve Aoki, and Tiësto. Friday, March 22, through Sunday, March 24, at Bayfront Park, 301 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; ultramusicfestival.com. Tickets cost $399 via frontgatetickets.com.
Baila Conmigo Music Festival
Making its debut in March and presented by Cardenas Marketing Network, Baila Conmigo Music Festival focuses on acts from the Caribbean, mainly the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Expect music to range from the classic merengue and bachata to salsa and vallenato. The festival will take place at the Miami Marine Stadium and features merengue icons Sergio Vargas and Eddy Herrera as the headliners for the inaugural event. Saturday, March 30, at Miami Marine Stadium, 3501 Rickenbacker Cswy., Miami; bailaconmigofest.com. Tickets cost $59 to $159 via frontgatetickets.com.
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Every April, Tortuga Music Festival offers country music on the beach.
Photo by Carina Mask and Christina Mendenhall
Tortuga Music Festival
Dust off those cowboy boots and head to Fort Lauderdale Beach for Tortuga Music Festival April 5-7. The festival celebrated its tenth anniversary of nurturing the country music scene in South Florida. This year's lineup features "Things a Man Oughta Know" songstress Lainey Wilson, perennial chart-topper Hardy, and country icon Jason Aldean. Non-country performances to tune into include Bret Michaels, TLC, and Boyz II Men. The nonprofit Rock the Ocean presents the festival in partnership with Live Nation and has a stellar ocean conservation message and volunteer clean-up efforts year-round. Friday, April 5, through Sunday, April 7, at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, 1100 S. Seabreeze Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; tortugamusicfestival.com. Tickets cost $149 to $1,559 via frontgatetickets.com.
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SunFest continues to offer a lineup with a wide appeal.
SunFest photo
SunFest
This West Palm Beach-bred affair is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. To mark the milestone, the festival has enlisted Nelly, Billy Idol, Cole Swindell, Rebelution, and Third Eye Blind as this year's headliners. The festival takes over downtown West Palm Beach every year, featuring acts across various genres performing across two stages through three days. Friday, May 3, through Sunday, May 5, on Flagler Drive between Banyan Boulevard and Lakeview Avenue, West Palm Beach; sunfest.com. Tickets cost $60 to $3,400 via sunfest.com/tickets.
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Rolling Loud has gone from a small festival in Wynwood to a global brand.
Photo by Rolling Loud/@itchyeyephotos
Rolling Loud
Travis Scott, Post Malone, Kanye West, A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar — whatever big name in hip-hop you can think of, they've probably headlined Rolling Loud. What started as a small music festival at Soho Studios in Wynwood has become a global brand with festivals across the U.S. and Europe. However, the crown jewel continues to be the Miami festival, which takes place every summer at Hard Rock Stadium. The dates and lineup haven't been announced for the 2024 edition, but last year, Rolling Loud didn't release those details until April, so it's par for the course. Expect the festival to return in July for three days with some of the biggest acts in the game. (Here's hoping a woman finally gets a headlining slot.) July 2024, at Hard Rock Stadium, 347 Don Shula Dr., Miami Gardens; rollingloud.com. Tickets TBD.
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III Point brings together an eclectic set of acts for a party that goes later than most festivals.
Photo by Adinayev for III Points
III Points
Last year marked a decade since the first III Points went down in Wynwood. Early on, it sought to position itself as the alternative to the more mainstream music festivals around town. Over the years, it's seen performances by acts like Rosalía, Gorillaz, LCD Soundsystem, and Wu-Tang Clan. However, the aspect that makes it stand out is how late it goes, with the gates not closing until usually 5 a.m., making this part music festival, part all-night rave. This year's lineup hasn't been announced, but expect more of the same eclectic acts III Points has become known for. Friday, October 18, and Saturday, October 19, at Mana Wynwood, 2217 NW Fifth Ave., Miami; iiipoints.com. Tickets TBD.
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