Your guide to Florida's biggest, best music festivals for 2023
Big concerts happen nearly every day in Florida, but for the really big shows you need to head out to a festival.
On the positive side, you will find a bunch of acts that play the same general kind of music — country or rock or hip hop — all for the price of a single ticket.
On the other hand, you will likely find big crowds of other people who love that kind of music and you will be subject to Florida's weather, which might be baking hot, pouring rain or filled with bugs. When your favorite band kicks into the encore, though, it will all be worth it.
Here are some of the biggest fests scheduled in the Sunshine State in 2023. Note that the big fall festivals — Suwannee Roots Revival, Suwannee Hulaween, Country Thunder, Electric Daisy — have generally announced dates but not who will be playing, so we left them off this list.
More big shows:23 concerts to see in the Jacksonville area in 2023
More to see, do:23 big events returning to Jacksonville in 2023
Thunder By The Bay Music and Motorcycle Festival
When: February 17-19
Where: Sarasota Fairgrounds
Who's playing: .38 Special, Colt Ford, Twinkle, Nuthin Fancy the Ultimate Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Band, Nobody's Fool, Maiden Cane, Highway to Hell and, Bobby Friss. Check Friday, Saturday and Sunday schedules for performance times.
Tickets: $10 per person in advance; $15 at the gate; free for children 12 and under. VIP tickets: $125 plus fee. Sunday premium VIP tickets: $175 plus fee. Two-day VIP tickets: $225 plus fee. Two day premium VIP tickets: $325 plus fee.
Info: thunderbythebay.org
Heart Support Fest
When: Feb. 18-19
Where: Central Florida Fairgrounds, Orlando
Who's playing: August Burns Red, Bleed From Within, Bloodlines, Comeback Kid, Dance Gavin Dance, Harm’s Way, Hawthorne Heights, She Is Legend, Memphis May Fire, Parkway Drive, Prison, Rise Against, Silverstein, Spiritbox, The Devil Wears Prada, The Ghost Inside, The Word Alive
Tickets: $85 single day; $175 single day, VIP; $150 two day; $330 two day, VIP.
Info: www.heartsupportfest.com
Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival 2023
When: March 2-5
Where: Sunshine Grove, Okeechobee
Who's playing? Goose, Dirty Heads, Lil Yachty, Odesza, Griz, Flipturn, Sunsquabi, Earth, Wind & Fire and others
Tickets: $349-$549
Info: okeechobeefest.com
Florida Strawberry Festival
When: March 2-12
Where: 303 BerryFest Place in Plant City
Gate admission: $10 adults (ages 13+); $5 children (ages 6-12); Free for children 5 and under with paid adult admission.
Who's playing and cost for each show: 10:30 a.m. March 2, Jimmy Sturr and his Orchestra, free with gate admission; 3:30 p.m. March 2, The Oak Ridge Boys Front Porch Singin' Tour, $30; 7:30 p.m. March 2, Walker Hayes, $40; 3:30 p.m. March 3, Willie Nelson & Family, $50; 7:30 p.m. March 3, Halestorm, $45; 3:30 p.m. March 4, Sara Evans, $35; 7:30 p.m. March 4 Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, $40; 3:30 p.m. March 5, The Gatlin Brothers, $25; 7:30 p.m. March 5, Chris Young, $60; 3:30 p.m. March 6 Neal McCoy, $30; 7:30 p.m. March 6, Josh Turner, $35; 3:30 p.m. March 7, Roots & Boots Aaron Tippin, Collin Raye and Sammy Kershaw, $35; 7:30 p.m. March 7, Cece Winans, $25; 3:30 p.m. March 8 Tanya Tucker, $35; 7:30 p.m. March 8, The Jacksons, $40; 10:30 a.m. Bill Haley Jr. & the Comets, free with paid admission; 3:30 p.m. March 9, Tommy James & the Shondells, $35; 7:30 p.m. March 9 For King + Country, $40; 3:30 p.m. March 10, Wayne Newton, $40; 7:30 p.m. March 10, Train, $50; 3:30 p.m. March 11, Sawyer Brown, $30; 7:30 p.m. March 11, Isley Brothers, $40; 3:30 p.m. March 12, The Leroy Van Dyke Country Gold Tour, featuring Leroy Van Dyke, T.G. Sheppard, Mandy Barnett and T. Graham Brown, $35; 7:30 p.m. March 12, Lynyrd Skynyrd, $60.
Info: flstrawberryfestival.com
Jazz in the Gardens
When: March 11-12
Where: Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens
Who's playing: Jill Scott, Jodeci, El DeBarge, Erykah Badu, Charlie Wilson and others
Tickets: $105-$1,425
Info: jazzinthegardens.com
Reggae Rise Up
When: March 16-19
Where: Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg
Tickets: $125 multi-day passes; $60 single day passes; $1250 and up VIP tables
Who's playing: 311, Alborosie, Arise Roots, Collie Buddz, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Denm, Dirty Heads, Dispatch, Drifting Roots, Dry Reef, Gone Gone Beyond, Hirie, Iya Terra, J Boog, Joe Samba, Knex, Koffee, Little Stranger, Matisyahu, Mihali, Neverless, Pepper, Raging Fyah, Rebelution, Roots Of Creation, Sa-Roc, Satsang, Sierra Lane, Sublime With Rome, The Elovaters, The Irie, The Movement, The Sub Herbs, Tropidelic, Tunnel Vision, Wiz Khalifa
Info: reggaeriseup.com/florida
Innings Festival Florida 2023
When: March 18-19
Where: Raymond James Stadium in Tampa
Tickets: $189-$12,500
Who's playing: Imagine Dragons, Weezer, Pitbull, Grouplove, Japanese Breakfast, Tai Verdes, Joey Valence & Brae, Cydeways, Dave Matthews Band, the Avett Brothers, Marcus Mumford, The Revivalists, Third Eye Blind, The Breeders, Faye Webster, The Heavy Heavy, The Ries Brothers.
Suwannee Spring Reunion
When: March 23-26
Where: Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak
Who's playing: The Infamous Stringdusters featuring Molly Tuttle, Sam Bush, Leftover Salmon, Steep Canyon Rangers, The Earls of Leicester, Peter Rowan, Donna the Buffalo, Sierra Hull, Keller Williams, Jim Lauderdale, Jon Strickley Trio, Verlon Thompson, Roy Book Binder, Rev. Jeff Mosier Ensemble, The Grass is Dead, Big Richard, Hattie Craven & Joe Craven, John Mailander's Forecast, Armchair Boogie, Caleb Caudle, Mile Twelve, The Ain't Sisters, Medicine Springs, Lee Hunter & The Gatherers, Nikki Talley & Jason Sharp, Quartermoon, Sloppy Joe, Belle & The Band, Free Range Strange, Habanero Honeys, Tania & Magic Moon Traveling Circus.
Tickets: $60-$275
Ultra Music Festival
When: March 24-26
Where: Bayfront Park in Miami
Who's playing: David Guetta, Gryffin, Afrojack, Hardwell, Slushii, Reinier Zonneveld and others
Tickets: $399.95-$449.95.
Info: ultramusicfestival.com
Resonate Suwannee 2023
When: March 30-April 1
Where: Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak
Who's playing: STS9, Big Something, Lettuce, Lotus, the Floozies and others
Tickets: $179-$219.
Info: resonatesuwannee.com
Springing The Blues
When: March 31–April 2
Where: SeaWalk Pavilion in Jacksonville Beach
Who's playing: E.G. Kight, Selwyn Birchwood, Albert Cummings, Vanessa Collier, Victor Wainwright & the Train and others
Tickets: Free. VIP seating available for $65-$179.
Info: springingtheblues.com
Blackwater Sol Revue
When: April 14-15
Where: St. Augustine Amphitheatre
Who's playing: JJ Grey & Mofro, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Brothers of a Feather, Robert Cray
Tickets: $50-$105
Info: theamp.com
Tampa Bay Blues Festival
When: April 14-16
Where: Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg.
Who's playing: Robert Cray, Tower of Power, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Tab Benoit, Tommy Castro and the Painkillers, Ana Popovic, Colin James, Vanessa Collier, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Chris Cain, Dawn Tyler Watson, Mr. Sipp, Jimmy Carpenter, JT Lauritsen & The Buckshot Hunters, Larry McCray Band.
Tickets: $60-$800
Info: tampabaybluesfest.com
Tortuga Music Festival 2023
When: April 14-16
Where: Fort Lauderdale Beach
Who's playing: Eric Church, Shania Twain, Kenny Chesney, Jake Owen, Brett Young, The Wallflowers and others.
Tickets: $275-$2,199.
Info: tortugamusicfestival.com
Florida Groves Fest
When: April 15-16
Where: Central Florida Fairgrounds in Orlando
Who's playing: Thievery Corporation, Protoje, Collie Buddz, Fortunate Youth, Bumpin Uglies and others.
Tickets: $50-$225
Info: floridagrovesfest.com
Suwannee River Jam 2023
When: April 19-22
Where: Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park
Who's playing: Lineup has not been released
Tickets: $110-$360
Info: www.suwanneeriverjam.com
Seabreeze Jazz Festival
When: April 19-23
Where: Aaron Beasant Park Amphitheater in Panama City Beach
Who's playing: Euge Groove, the Jacksons, Najee, George Benson, Boney James, Kem, Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair and others.
Tickets: Sold out
Moon Crush 2023
When: April 20-23
Where: Seascape Resort in Miramar Beach
Who's playing: JJ Grey & Mofro, Red Clay Strays, Sierra Hull, Mipso, Trampled by Turtles, the Avett Brothers, Myron Elkins, Brittney Spencer, Marcus King, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, the New Respects, Wilder Woods, Fitz and the Tantrums, Black Crowes,
Tickets: $295-$1,000
Info: tixr.com/groups/mooncrush/events/mooncrush-moon-crush-pink-moon-23-46554
Echoland Festival
When: May 11-13
Where: Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak
Who's playing: Vulfpeck, Phil Lesh & Friends, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Tenacious D, Gov't Mule and others.
Tickets: $289-$8,000
Info: echolandfestival.com
Welcome to Rockville 2023
When: May 18-21
Where: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach
Who's playing: Slipknot, Rob Zombie, Puscifer, Alice Cooper, Queens of the Stone Age, Avenged Sevenfold, Pantera, Godsmack and others.
Tickets: General admission starts at $119.99-$1,079.96
Jacksonville Jazz Festival
When: May 25-28
Where: Downtown Jacksonville
Who's playing: TBA
Info: jacksonvillejazzfest.com
Florida Folk Festival
When: May 26-28
Where: Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs.
Tickets: $40-$80
Sunset Music Festival 2023
When: May 27-28
Where: Raymond James Stadium in Tampa
Who's playing? Odd Mob, AC Slater, Slushii, Westend, Zomboy and others.
Tickets: $149.95-$259.95
Info: smftampa.com
Gulf Coast Jam Festival
When: June 1-4
Where: Panama City Beach
Who's playing: Morgan Wallen, Miranda Lambert, Hardy, Kane Brown, Justin Moore, Chase Rice, Gabby Barrett, Dylan Scott, Ernest, Warren Zeiders, Bailey Zimmerman, Breland, Seaforth, Dozzi, Lily Rose, Mackenzie Porter, Shane Profitt, Dylan Marlowe, Them Dirty Roses, Jonboy Storey and others.
Tickets: Sold out
Info: www.gulfcoastjam.com
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Florida best music fests: Guide to rock, country festivals in 2023
