Discover new music without breaking the bank.
We're very lucky here in Florida: Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, one of the most beautiful outdoor music venues in the country (in my humble opinion), hosts several amazing festivals throughout the year, each with a stellar lineup and fantastic production. Unfortunately, those amazing festivals can come at a high price, often upward of $200 per ticket.
For someone who loves music as much as I do, seeing it live can become a serious financial drain, especially during festival season. So I've compiled a list of fests with tickets that can be purchased for less than $100 to help you get your fix this spring without going broke.
You can
- click on the flyer to view a larger image.
- click on the ticket price to see other available options and purchase tickets (price listed is the cost of a general admission, full-event pass at the time this article was written).
- click to view the Facebook event (if one has been created).
Little Econ Love Fest
March 26-29 | Maddox Ranch in Lakeland | $65 | Camping included | Facebook event
Lineup: Toubab Krewe, The Mud Flappers, Holey Miss Moley, S.P.O.R.E., Leisure Chief, Displace, Ajeva, & more
Little Econ Love Fest is a festival for locals, by locals, that got its name from its original location along the banks of the Little Econ River in East Orlando. With the support of many Central Florida community organizations, this festival has grown and moved to Maddox Ranch. Each year, the lineup features great local bands, and this year is no exception. Wellness workshops are also included in the ticket price, and featured artists will be displaying their work on the festival grounds.
Spring Beer Jam
March 26-29 | Dunedin Brewery | Free | No camping | Facebook event
Lineup: The Heavy Pets x 4, The Nth Power, The Fritz, Naughty Professor, Ketchy Shuby, Displace, & several THP side projects
Florida's oldest craft brewery, Dunedin Brewery, will be hosting its Spring Beer Jam for the third time this year. Always the last weekend in March, this free event offers evening and late night jams plus a selection of over 40 beers on tap and in bottle. Attendees can also expect four themed nights (including a "Kinky Reggae Party" and "Space Disco") with accompanying sets by the Heavy Pets, and a whole pig roast on Sunday night.
Slide Into Spring
March 27-29 | Main Beach Park in Fernandina Beach | $70 | Camping off-site $$ | Facebook event
Lineup: Matisyahu, Railroad Earth, The Wailers, Turkuaz, The Supervillains, The Fritz, Spiritual Rez, & more
Slide into Spring is all about great music and good beer. Performances by reggae, bluegrass, funk, and rock artists will be enjoyed alongside dozens of craft beers (a complimentary tasting is included). On Sunday morning, a sunrise yoga session will be followed by a beach/park cleanup. Funds from the fest will help The Nassau Humane Society complete its current project, a new adoption and care facility.
Safety Harbor Songfest
March 28-29 | Safety Harbor Waterfront Park | $40 | Camping off-site $$ | Facebook event
Lineup: Steep Canyon Rangers, Shawn Mullins, Joe Craven, Jim Lauderdale, Willie Sugarcapps, Meiko, Seth Walker, & more
Back for a second year, Safety Harbor Songfest boasts a lineup of experienced musicians playing bluegrass, country, blues, soul, and more. The fest is a fundraiser for the Safety Harbor Art and Music Center, which is still under construction, but promises to offer ways for people of all ages to celebrate art in all its forms.
Heineken TransAtlantic Festival
April 10-11 | North Beach Bandshell in Miami Beach | $27 | No camping | Facebook event
Lineup: Wild Belle, The Budos Band, Ana Tijoux, Puerto Candelaria, My Deer, Bluejay, & more
Heineken TransAtlantic Festival is a celebration of world music in a city with a rich cultural history going back several centuries. For the thirteenth time, this festival will feature musicians playing current and traditional sounds (afro-soul, hip-hop, indie pop, and more). The event is presented by the Rhythm Foundation, a non-profit organization that has put on more than 500 music events in South Florida.
SunFest
April 29 - May 3 | Downtown West Palm Beach | $60 | No camping
Lineup: Fall Out Boy, Pixies, Lenny Kravitz, Paramore, Hozier, Kaskade, BOSTON, Sammy Hagar and the Circle, & more
SunFest claims the title of Florida's largest waterfront music and art festival. It's been around for over 20 years and draws a huge crowd of music lovers to downtown West Palm Beach. With a lineup of artists from a wide range of genres, a juried fine arts show, floating oases (barges serving specially crafted Captain Morgan drinks), and a fireworks show, this fest has something for just about everyone.
Funky Farm Music Festival
May 7-9 | 27151 Soult Road in Brooksville | $30 | Camping included | 21+
Lineup: Zach Deputy, The Hip Abduction, Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes, Grandpa's Cough Medicine, Holey Miss Moley, & more
A new addition to the Florida festival scene, Funky Farm Music Festival is offering an impressive lineup for its first year. It's also offering a weekend stay on a historic 40 acre working farm with two permanent stages and a traveling one, plus $2 beers. Proceeds from the festival will benefit DD214 (a non-profit that has raised and distributed $250,000 in aid to Florida veterans) and the Never Say Never Foundation (a non-profit that supports disabled youth with a focus on amputee athletes).
Reggae on the Block
May 9 | Social Pavillion and Washington Square in Downtown Orlando | $35 | Facebook event
Lineup: Tribal Seeds, Iration, Stick Figure, Ballyhoo!, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, The Supervillains, Rootz Underground, & more
A one day festival in Downtown Orlando, Reggae on the Block is one seriously funky reggae party. With national and local bands performing from mid-afternoon to late into the evening, reggae fans can get excited for the festival's second installment. If it's anything like last year, there will also be a plethora of food and drink vendors on hand to satisfy your taste buds.
Orange Blossom Jamboree
May 14-17 | Sertoma Ranch in Brooksville | $87 | Camping included | Facebook event
Lineup: The Heavy Pets, Cope, Come Back Alice, The Lee Boys, Green Sunshine, Suénalo, The Legendary JC's, & more
Orange Blossom Jamboree is a beloved local festival featuring many of the best Florida bands and solo musicians. In just six years it has developed quite a following, and this year music fans can enjoy four days of performances on three stages, live art, workshops, yoga, drum circles, kids activities, a parade, and more. Dunedin Brewery will be providing beers for the weekend.
There are many more affordable spring festivals in Florida that have not yet released lineups and/or ticketing information, so this is nowhere near a complete list. Plus, I'm sure there are even more area events that I have yet to learn of. However, I hope you found something here that you can add to your spring festival schedule, or you have a friend in Florida who would enjoy this post.
Feel free to share information about other Florida festivals happening this spring in the comments. And if you really liked this post, you can subscribe to get the next in the series, affordable summer festivals, and other music posts sent straight to your inbox.
Thandiwe Ogbonna is a freelance writer based in Orlando, Florida. She writes for The Untz, and has written for DubEra.com, NoDepression.com, and Home Grown Music Network. Tweet to her, @ThandiWay, and tell her about your next great event.
