Florida is home to a few of America’s biggest and most OTT festivals. The festivals in Florida are legendary and some are well-known the world over. If you want to see festivals American style, with beaches, cocktails, crazy good line ups and the most incredible line ups, then you need to add these Florida festivals to your holiday wishlist. 

10 Best Festivals in Florida

1. Ultra Miami

This is Florida’s premier electronic music festival, boasting elite DJs with their unparalleled productions. ULTRA is an iconic name around the globe thanks to their top notch music festivals hosted all over. ULTRA festival invites guests to downtown Miami for the best weekend with all night, and day, music. 

In my 20s I used to really want to go to this. Me in my 30s would be way too intimidated!

2. Okeechobee Music And Art Festival

Oh this one sounds a bit more me. The Okeechobee Music And Art Festival is a 4-day long surreal experience for all music and arts lovers. It features music of all genres along with vivid and immersive arts and related events where people of all walks of life gather in the heart of Florida’s wild wilderness to enjoy the things they love till day break.

It first took place in 2006 and instantly became a hit. It takes place in March and poses as a welcoming party for spring. This means the festival is the first major festival in the US to start off the New Year in Florida’s Sunshine Grove where its fields with lush grass and beaches with golden sand pave way for a majestic yet astounding experience.

3. Electric Daisy Carnival Orlando

Electric Daisy Carnival Orlando is one of the most prominent wintertime festivals in the country and is spread over two days. It’s a dream place to be for any electronic music lover as it’s headlined by some of the biggest and the most prominent people in the music industry.

The famous Tinker Field, Orlando, is filled with roller coasters, a zip line over a lake and most importantly music that will make you dance the night, and day, away. 

4. Groove Cruise Miami

Groove Cruise Miami is one of the wildest parties on the sea you can ever experience.

If you have a thing for cruises and music, this is the place to be for you.

The Groove Cruise sails in Fort Lauderdale and travels to Key West and Cozumel, Mexico, making it a true international festival. Even crossing borders!

There are a variety of events of different themes scheduled for day and night. It is THE premier electronic music festival on a cruise in the world. Groove Cruise Miami is definitely one of the most unique festivals in Miami. 

The Celebrity Infinity, the ship hosting the festival, features a range of different restaurants, multiple bars, swimming pools to dive in and sports centres, along with so much more to keep you entertained throughout your journey.

I’ve never been on a festival on a cruise ship before. The food, drink and ease of getting to bed possibilities have definitely piqued my interest!

5. Tortuga Music Festival

For the ultimate beach party Florida festival lovers head to Fort Lauderdale once more, where April brings music’s biggest beach party and also helps raise awareness about issues facing our world’s oceans. 

Tortuga Music Festival is a three-day music festival featuring some of the best rock, alternative and country music artists. It’s a weekend getaway providing fans with good music while raising awareness for the marine life and its conservation.

6. Welcome To Rockville

In May, rock fans gather around in Jacksonville, Florida, where they’re met with an epic rock and metal lineup. Almost 50,000 fans show up for a mammoth weekend with never ending rock music and up to 45 bands performing on different stages.

7. Sunset Music Festival

Tampa becomes home to another of Florida’s festivals, with the Sunset Music Festival. Disco Donnie and Sunset Events host a day of music and dancing in an extravagant 12-hour event with epic sounds and visual. 

8. Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam

Fancy doing something different for this year’s Labour Day weekend?

Panama City Beach hosts the Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam, a 3-day Country Music festival. It offers a truly unique experience located in the picturesque Panama City Beach, Florida. This is where the salty scenery of the beaches offers fans the ultimate two day getaway which surely feels as nothing short of a vacation. Fans travel from all over the world to enjoy and set aside all their troubles by dancing to cool music by the clear blue waters all night. It features country music’s iconic artists and the contemporary local eateries, making it the ideal mid-year mini vacation.

Enjoy your mornings by the soft sand and clear waters by the beach taking part in outdoor activities in Panama City Beach while jamming and singing along to your favourite music in the afternoon and finally dancing the night away with sounds as wonderful as the cool sea breeze flowing. Sounds perfect right?

READ MORE: The Best Restaurants in Panama City Beach

9. Rolling Loud Festival

Miami’s Rolling Loud Festival takes place in May of every year. It is considered as one of the most significant hip-hop festivals not just in Florida but all over the US. Featuring a star studded lineup including all the big rappers you can think of playing their music for your entertainment. Future, Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane Lil Yachti, and J. Cole.

The Rolling Loud Festival spans for three days being hosted at the Hard Rock Stadium and from there it also moves on to the Bay Area.

10. Forbidden Kingdom

Ever heard of the Forbidden Kingdom festival in Florida?

Nah, me neither. Turns out the Forbidden Kingdom is Florida’s most popular dubstep and all bass music festival. Being hosted in Boca Raton at Sunset Cove Park, this festival offers fans a never before experienced setting featuring many of the top names in bass music glorifying the history of bass and dubstep music. The year 2020 will only be the second year of this newly established music festival and if bass music gets you going, this is the place for you to be.

The best festivals in Florida

Florida is a vibrant state that knows how to celebrate life to the fullest, and its festivals are a testament to that spirit. From the music-filled streets of the Key West Songwriters Festival to the electrifying atmosphere of the Ultra Music Festival in Miami, there is a festival for every taste and interest.

These events showcase the state’s rich cultural diversity, highlighting the fusion of traditions, music, and flavours that make Florida truly unique. So, mark your calendars and immerse yourself in the magic of Florida’s best festivals for some epic memories!

More on your travels in Florida

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9 Cool Stops on a Miami to Key West Road Trip

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