Photo via Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival’s Facebook
Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival has confirmed the decision to go on a hiatus in the year 2024. The festival, which has garnered a reputation for its diverse lineup and vibrant atmosphere, is taking this “fallow year” to recalibrate and return to its original essence.
Insomniac Events, the organizers behind the festival, made this declaration, citing a desire to bring Okeechobee back to its musical origins. The news was echoed by Festive Owl, a festival watchdog, who shared the forthcoming hiatus on social media and disclosed that Soundslinger, the creator of the event, is steering this transformation.
The brainchild of Soundslinger, the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival has long found its home in the sprawling 800-acre Sunshine Grove. The organizers have expressed their commitment to honoring the community that has flourished since the festival’s inception in 2016.
“Sunshine Grove, Soundslinger cares deeply about the community that it witnessed come together in those first few years of OMF from 2016 onwards,” stated Rechulski, DJ, producer and founder of Soundslinger. “We are working hard to keep OMF close to its original roots in a big way and reignite the sparks. Those formative years were special to all of us. Hang tight and remember to always Be, Here, Now.”
The festival’s history is marked by its evolution. Commencing in 2016 with a diverse roster featuring Mumford & Sons, Kendrick Lamar, Robert Plant, Hall & Oates, and The Avett Brothers as headliners, it gradually shifted toward a heavier EDM focus. The partnership with Insomniac Events in 2020 cemented this transition. However, the forthcoming hiatus hints at a potential realignment, possibly revisiting its origins.
Throughout its journey, the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival has experienced periods of pause and resurgence. Initially slated for a debut in 2015, the festival premiered in 2016, followed by consecutive editions in 2017 and 2018. Subsequently, a hiatus ensued until the festival’s triumphant return in March 2020, just before the global live music shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival revived its spirit in 2022, gracing audiences with another installment before its current hiatus.
As anticipation builds for Okeechobee’s revival, music enthusiasts and festival aficionados are left eager to witness the festival’s renaissance in 2025.
