SunFest 2023: Everything you need to know on lineup, schedule, tickets, parking, and weather

James Coleman, Palm Beach Post
·7 min read

SunFest's multi-day, multi-stage waterfront musical festival returns to West Palm Beach in 2023 with a scaled-back schedule of three days instead of the traditional four.

Booking musical acts, security and insurance are the festival's biggest ticket items, and the cost of each is up sharply, SunFest Executive Director Paul Jamieson has said.

SunFest cut its staff in half in 2020, Jamieson said, and the festival has not returned to its previous staffing levels.

"We're doing everything we can to hold down costs," he said. "Everyone is experiencing this. It's not just us. We're all trying to do more with less."

SUNFEST: It has been in the red $1M per festival for years. Ticket prices have doubled. Why?

Tables and chairs are assembled for Sunfest in West Palm Beach, Florida on May 4, 2023.
Tables and chairs are assembled for Sunfest in West Palm Beach, Florida on May 4, 2023.

The festival costs $6 million to $8 million to put on, Jamieson said, noting that SunFest could, at some point in the future, return to a longer schedule.

SunFest started in 1982 as a 10-day festival, but organizers suffered a loss on the event so it was reduced to three days in 1984. Two years later, a $2 admission fee was charged and eventually, the event was expanded to five days in 1992. In 2018, Wednesday was dropped and the event scaled back to four days.

This year, West Palm Beach's biggest annual event kicks off Friday, May 5 and concludes Sunday, May 7 and will once again draw tens of thousands of people to the downtown waterfront for a splash of sun, shows and sips.

There are some other changes as well. The festival, which has had three large stages for musical acts in the past, will have only two this year — the Ford stage, which is farthest north, and the Ideal Nutrition stage at the Meyer Amphitheatre. A stage that was farthest south, near the Royal Park Bridge, will not be there this year.

The traditional Sunday night fireworks show over the Intracoastal will not be happening this year.

Karl Laudenslager, left, and Andrew Ello prepare for Sunfest in West Palm Beach, Florida on May 4, 2023.
Karl Laudenslager, left, and Andrew Ello prepare for Sunfest in West Palm Beach, Florida on May 4, 2023.

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Here's everything you need to know ahead of the big music festival:

SunFest 2023: How much are tickets?

Tickets are on sale now. Prices for people ages 13 and older currently are $170 for a three-day pass and $90 for a one-day pass. The pre-sale prices have expired with the exception of the Love Our Locals ticket promotion, which expires Wednesday, April 26. Single-day tickets can be purchased for $75 and a three-day pass for $135.

Festivalgoers can buy advance tickets on SunFest’s website, www.sunfest.com/tickets, or by calling 1-800-786-3378 (SUNFEST). Those buying single-day tickets must specify the day they will attend when making their purchase.

Children under 5 get in free with an adult ticket and tickets for children from 6-12 are $50 for a one-day pass and $95 for a three-day pass.

Who is at SunFest 2023? Here is the music lineup schedule:

Friday, May 5 schedule

Ford Stage

  • 6:30-7 p.m.: East Harbor (alternative pop)

  • 7:30-8 p.m.: PLS&TY (future bass, R&B, hip-hop)

  • 8:30-9:15 p.m.: Anabel Englund (house, dance, pop rock)

  • 9:45-11 p.m.: The Chainsmokers (pop, electropop, future bass)

Ideal Nutrition Stage

  • 5:45-6:15 p.m.: Soulpax (R&B)

  • 6:45-7:15 p.m.: The Nameless (urban, 90s R&B)

  • 7:45-8:15 p.m.: LAYA (R&B)

  • 8:45-10 p.m.: Flo Rida (hip-hop, rap)

Saturday, May 6 schedule

Ford Stage

  • 2-2:30 p.m.: Nostaljah (reggae, R&B)

  • 3-4 p.m.: ALO (pop, rock)

  • 4:30-5:45 p.m.: Dropkick Murphys (punk rock, celtic punk, hardcore punk)

  • 6:45-7:15 p.m.: Allegra Miles (indie pop, soulful pop)

  • 7:45-8:45 p.m.: The Hip Abduction (alternative, indie)

  • 9:30-11 p.m.: Jack Johnson (pop)

People put together their booths for Sunfest in West Palm Beach, Florida on May 4, 2023.
People put together their booths for Sunfest in West Palm Beach, Florida on May 4, 2023.

Ideal Nutrition Stage

  • 1:15-1:45 p.m.: Prato (reggae, rock)

  • 2:15-2:45 p.m.: ARDN (hip-hop, rap)

  • 3:15-4:15 p.m.: Surfaces (jazz, soul, pop rock, hip-hop, reggae, calypso)

  • 5-5:30 p.m.: Gvin (R&B, soul, pop, contemporary)

  • 6-6:30 p.m.: RazzaMoore (rap)

  • 7-7:45 p.m.: Fedd The God (hip-hop)

  • 8:15-9:30 p.m.: A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie (hip-hop, rap, R&B)

Sunday, May 7 schedule

Ford Stage

  • 2-3 p.m.: Gatlin (rock, folk)

  • 3:30-5 p.m.: Ziggy Marley (reggae)

  • 6-6:30 p.m.: Drum & Co. (indie, folk-hop)

  • 7-8 p.m.: Sunflower Bean (alternative, indie, glam rock)

  • 8:30-10 p.m.: The Killers (alternative rock, indie rock, new wave)

Ideal Nutrition Stage

  • 12:30-1 p.m.: Leave It To Us (pop, punk)

  • 1:30-2:15 p.m.: Charlotte Sands (hip-hop, rap)

  • 2:45-4 p.m.: All Time Low (pop punk, pop rock, alternative rock)

  • 5-5:30 p.m.: Vibes Farm (reggae, punk)

  • 6-6:45 p.m.: Surfer Girl (pop, reggae)

  • 7:15-8:30 p.m.: 311 (alternative rock, rap rock, reggae rock)

SunFest 2023: What you can bring (and what you can't bring)

YES, ALLOWED

  • Small bags/backpacks no larger than 12” x 12” x 6”

  • Non-glass, empty, refillable water bottles, cups, or containers

  • Food for infants or those with medical conditions in non-glass containers

  • Service animals for patrons with disabilities

  • Single collapsible lawn chairs

  • Blankets

  • Umbrellas may be brought in, but you may be asked to put them down in concert areas to allow all guests access to stage viewing.

  • Non-professional cameras (no removable lens)

  • Wheelchairs/medical scooters

  • Strollers

  • Hydration packs – Must be empty and subject to search

Workers set up the Ideal Nutrition Stage for Sunfest in West Palm Beach, Florida on May 4, 2023.
Workers set up the Ideal Nutrition Stage for Sunfest in West Palm Beach, Florida on May 4, 2023.

NOT ALLOWED

  • Coolers

  • Outside food or beverage including water, glass bottles or glass containers

  • Selfie sticks

  • Pets

  • Audio recording devices

  • Frisbees, sports balls or water guns

  • Roller skates, scooters, skateboards, bicycles, in-line skates

  • Professional still or video cameras

  • Glow products or laser products

  • Costume masks,

  • Weapons, knives, firearms or explosives

SunFest 2023: West Palm Beach downtown road closures

9 a.m., Thursday, April 27 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, May 10

  • Flagler Drive Closed between Banyan Blvd. and Lakeview Ave.

  • North Clematis Street between Lantana Avenue and Flagler Drive

  • Evernia Street between Narcissus Avenue and Flagler Drive

Limited access – No access to Flagler Drive

  • S. Clematis Street between Narcissus Avenue and Flagler Drive

  • Datura Street between Narcissus Avenue and Flagler Drive

  • Fern Street between Olive Avenue and Flagler Drive

9 a.m., Wednesday May 3 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, May 10

  • Southbound Flagler Drive between 3rd Street and Banyan Blvd.

The Ford Stage is set up for Sunfest in West Palm Beach, Florida on May 4, 2023.
The Ford Stage is set up for Sunfest in West Palm Beach, Florida on May 4, 2023.

SunFest 2023: Parking information

One-day parking

  • Judicial Center Garage, 505 Banyan Blvd, $12

  • 4th Street Surface Lot, 316 4th Street, $12

  • Governmental Center Garage, 294 N. Dixie Highway, $15

  • Chamber of the Palm Beaches Lot, 401 North Flagler Drive, $20

  • Bradley’s Lot, 140 S Narcissus Ave., $50

  • Fountain Lot, 114 S Narcissus Ave., $50

Three-day parking

  • Judicial Center Garage, 505 Banyan Blvd, $30-$40

  • 4th Street Surface Lot, 316 4th Street, $30-$40

  • Governmental Center Garage, 294 N. Dixie Highway, $30-$40

No on-street parking

Thursday, April 27

  • Flagler Drive between Banyan Boulevard and Lakeview Avenue

  • North and South Clematis Street (east of Narcissus)

Friday, April 28

  • Narcissus St. between Datura St. and Evernia St.

Monday, May 1

  • 100 Block of Datura Street Palm Beach Post Park parking lot

  • 100 Block of Fern Street

  • Palm Beach Post Park parking lot

Friday, May 5 to Sunday, May 7

  • Portion of the 200 block of Datura Street (handicapped parking)

  • Portion of 300 block of Datura Street (handicapped parking)

SunFest 2023: What's the early weather forecast?

  • Friday, May 5: Partly cloudy with a 20% chance of showers later in the day. High 84. Low 74.

  • Saturday, May 6: Sunshine and clouds mixed with a 20% chance of showers. High 84. Low 73.

  • Sunday, May 7: Partly cloudy with a 25% chance of showers. High 84. Low 74.

If you go to SunFest 2023:

  • Where: SunFest takes place along the Intracoastal Waterway in downtown West Palm Beach. The festival grounds are on Flagler Drive in between Banyan Boulevard and Lakeview Avenue. Approximate address: 101 S. Clematis St., West Palm Beach.

  • When: Friday, May 5 through Sunday, May 7, 2023

  • Friday: 5 to 11 p.m.

  • Saturday: Noon to 11 p.m.

  • Sunday: Noon to 9 p.m.

  • Information: Sunfest.com.

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Wayne Washington contributed to this report.

James Coleman is a journalist at the Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at jcoleman@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: SunFest 2023 in West Palm Beach: Lineup, schedule, tickets, forecast