Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival brings big names

This weekend, the Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival will take place at Sunshine Grove in Okeechobee, Florida. The event will be the festival’s second annual iteration, with performances starting today at 4 p.m. and running until 6 a.m. Monday.

Okeechobee’s lineup features critically acclaimed artists like Kings of Leon, Usher and the Roots, Flume, Bassnectar, Sleigh Bells, Badbadnotgood and Mac Demarco. The festival also heavily features up-and-coming Florida-based artists like Merchandise and Jacuzzi Boys. With genres ranging from indie punk to classic funk to hip-hop to dance-oriented electronica, there will be something for everyone at Okeechobee.

“I’m especially excited to see Porter Robinson, the Lumineers, GRiZ and the Revivalists,” said Jesse Feinstein, a 21-year-old UF psychology junior. “Porter Robinson put out one of my favorite EDM albums of all time in 2014 called ‘Worlds.’ I’m excited to see what his live show is like.”

In addition to five stages featuring live music throughout the weekend, Okeechobee offers large-scale art installations, a white sand beach on festival grounds, a Ferris wheel, numerous food trucks and workshops in yoga and meditation.

Okeechobee also has a unique PoWoW! performance, in which several featured music artists from the festival take the stage and have a free jam.

“I’m really excited to see the PoWoW! this year,” Feinstein said. “This is when a bunch of different artists from all different genres have a huge jam session together. I missed it last year, it’s so hard to keep track of time when you’re in festival mode.”

Okeechobee, like other American music festivals such as Bonnaroo or Coachella, encourages its patrons to camp on the festival grounds for the weekend. A big part of the event is creating its own world inside the festival gates so event goers can get an all-encompassing experience for the weekend.

“After going to the Okeechobee last year, I’m ready for another journey of self-growth through music, art and nature this year,” Feinstein said. “It’s going to be a really nice break from reality.”

For those camping out at the festival, be warned, for there is limited cell phone service on the grounds, crowded charging stations, porta-potties and showers that can range from $5 to $7. Still, this is what many festival goers consider to be the true festival experience.

“I honestly thought last year’s event was insanely well put together,” said Paula Kaplan, a 21-year-old UF finance junior. “I could do with cleaner porta-potties this year, though.”