Ahh, music festivals in South Florida. I hadn’t listened to much country music before coming to the University of Miami. But, one trip to KISS Country Chili Cookoff and a few friends blasting it from stereos, had me falling in love (to the Beat Of The Music). Now, imagine a beach completely overtaken by barefoot dancing and crowds of people who have come together for music. Yes. It exists, and it's called Tortuga Music Festival.
On the Music: Somehow the lyrics in every country song seamlessly form a story. Stories about life, stories about good times, and of course, stories about love. It’s easy to get lost in the words, which is why Tortuga Music Festival was one of the best experiences I’ve had over the past four years. For nearly every song, hands were raised in the air, and a unified flow of choruses came from the crowd. You knew it was going to be a great day when every joined in and belted, Rock Me Momma Like A Wagon Wheel.
On the Atmosphere: Tortuga was the perfect combination of Sunny & 75 (Joe Nichols) and Toes (Zac Brown Band). There was nothing but blue skies with vibrant bars and food stands sprawled around the beach and an entire shoreline that was dominated by two stages. Guitar strings and sultry voices filled the airwaves. It was everything you could dream a beach day to be. In the words of Jake Owen: chillin', breezin', sippin', singin' whoa beachin'.
On Conservation Efforts: Not only is Tortuga a musical paradise—it’s music for a purpose. With every ticket sale, some of the money goes directly to the Rock The Ocean Foundation. To learn more about what the foundation does, and it’s presence at the festival click here.
On the Day, Collectively: I might have only been there for the Friday lineup, but it was enough to understand why people travel from all over to be a part of Tortuga. Once immersed in the crowd, all worries disappeared. You didn't need to know the person standing next to you, to realize that simply singing along could create an unspoken bond. I have two left half feet half of the time, but I couldn't care less. And neither did anyone else! Toes were in the sand, a killer sunset introduced the evening, and by the final show, I was asking Luke Bryan to Play It Again.
We were all living it Young & Crazy. Fort Laudy, we thank you for the sunshine and the jams.
