The 2026 Tortuga Music Festival

April 10-12, 2026 – Ft. Lauderdale Beach, FL

The 2026 Tortuga Music Festival was one I had been hoping to cover for a long time, and getting to experience it for the first time this year absolutely lived up to the hype. Set right on the beach in Fort Lauderdale, Tortuga blends country, rock, and a little bit of everything else into a three day beach party that also supports ocean conservation efforts.

The beach itself was beautiful. The sun was definitely doing its thing most of the weekend, but the ocean breeze and plenty of shaded spots made it really comfortable. Huge shoutout to Lane, Sarah, Hailey, and the entire team at The GreenRoom PR. They were incredibly accommodating and made the whole experience smooth from start to finish. Thank you ladies!

The setup of the festival was really nice too. Three stages kept things moving all weekend long. There was the Main Stage, the Sunset Stage presented by Club Wyndham, and the Next From Nashville Stage presented by Bacardi. In between sets, Dee Jay Silver, DJ Rock, and DJ John Lindz kept the energy up and the party going. These guys deserve an award, because they were doing their thing all three days.

Friday kicked things off in a big way. The lineup featured Post Malone, Dwight Yoakam, Ice Cube, Flatland Cavalry, Lukas Nelson, Ashley Cooke, Sons of Legion, Chayce Beckham, Surfer Girl, Emily Ann Roberts, Chandler Walters, Elizabeth Nichols, Hunter Flynn, Lakeview, and Mary Kutter.

Post Malone delivered like he always does. This was my second time seeing him live, and it’s just unbelievable. He’s one of the few artists that can jump between genres so effortlessly, and you really feel that in a festival setting like this. You can tell he genuinely loves his fans, and that connection really came through during his set. Ice Cube was also one of my favorites of the day. A true hip-hop legend and one of the most influential artists in the genre, he turned the beach into a full blown party. From the moment he hit the stage, the crowd was dancing, rapping along, and completely locked in.

Ashley Cooke also stood out for me. Being from Parkland, Florida, it felt like a homecoming for her, and she absolutely delivered. She’s been rising fast in country music over the past couple of years, and you can see why when you watch her live. Flatland Cavalry brought that Texas country sound that fans love, and Lukas Nelson added a really cool Americana vibe while carrying on that legendary Nelson name. Dwight Yoakam was another standout for a lot of fans, bringing decades of hits and that classic country presence to the stage. Day one set the tone perfectly for what was shaping up to be an incredible weekend.

Saturday kept the momentum going with Riley Green, Tyler Hubbard, The Fray, Clay Walker, Colbie Caillat, G. Love & Special Sauce, Graham Barham, Afroman, Brittney Spencer, Buffalo Traffic Jam, Cole Goodwin, Owen Riegling, Preston Cooper, Solon Holt, and Adam David.

There were great performances across the board, but The Fray, Afroman, and Colbie Caillat were my personal highlights. I’ve wanted to see The Fray live for a long time, and they did not disappoint. They’ve been a staple in pop rock since the early 2000s, and hearing songs like “How to Save a Life” live with a beach crowd was a really cool moment. They played all the hits and mixed in some newer material, and the crowd was fully locked in.

Afroman might have had the most fun set of the entire day. Rocking a red, white, and blue jumpsuit, he had the whole crowd laughing, singing, and just enjoying the moment. Known for “Because I Got High,” he leaned right into that energy and didn’t take himself too seriously, which made the whole set even better. Ten years ago, I never would have guessed I’d be watching him live on a beach stage, but there we were.

Colbie Caillat was incredible as well. A two-time Grammy winner with a ton of radio hits, she brought a really laid back, feel-good vibe to the festival. She looked and sounded amazing, and her cover of Post Malone’s “Circles” gave me chills. Such a cool moment. Riley Green and Tyler Hubbard brought big energy to the Main Stage, while Clay Walker gave fans a dose of classic country. Brittney Spencer continues to prove she’s one of the most exciting voices in country right now, and G. Love & Special Sauce added a little genre-bending flavor to the mix.

Sunday wrapped everything up with Kenny Chesney, Russell Dickerson, Dustin Lynch, Shane Smith & The Saints, Josh Ross, Uncle Kracker, Amanda Shires, Greylan James, The Wheeland Brothers, Brandon Wisham, The Jack Wharff Band, McCoy Moore, Something Out West, The Band Loula, and Rhys Rutherford.

Russell Dickerson, Josh Ross, and Amanda Shires really stood out to me. Dickerson knows exactly how to work a crowd. The whole “Russell Mania” vibe gets people hyped, and his energy is contagious. On top of that, he can absolutely shred on guitar, which adds a whole extra level to his show. Josh Ross continues to impress every time I see him. He’s quickly becoming one of the more talked about rising country artists, and this was my second time catching one of his sets. He somehow brought even more energy this time around and had the Sunset Stage packed.

Then there was Amanda Shires. I hadn’t listened to her before this, but she completely pulled me in from the first song. She’s a Grammy-winning artist and part of The Highwomen, and you can tell right away she’s the real deal. Her voice has that classic country soul with a little twang, and it’s incredibly moving. Watching her play violin added a whole other layer to her performance. I’ll definitely be adding her to my rotation!

The Wheeland Brothers brought a ton of fun energy that fit the setting perfectly, and one of my new favorites from the weekend is Brandon Wisham. He’s someone to keep an eye on. I actually sent him some photos on Instagram, and he was super appreciative. Then, early Monday morning, I ran into him and his band at the airport, and he was just as genuine in person.

Of course, you can’t talk about Tortuga without mentioning Kenny Chesney. He’s basically part of the DNA of this festival at this point, and his set was the perfect way to close out the weekend. Big energy, great songs, and a crowd that was all in from start to finish. So good!

If you ever get the chance to attend Tortuga, do it. It’s well organized, clean, safe, and just a really fun experience. The food and drinks are definitely on the pricey side, but everything I tried was really good, and the vendors added a lot to the overall vibe. Just make sure you bring sunscreen and a solid pair of comfortable shoes because you’ll be putting in some serious steps going back and forth between stages.

Huge thank you to everyone involved for an amazing weekend. I’m already hoping I get the chance to be back next year!