In a world where there doesn’t seem to be a lot you can count on, here comes Kenny Chesney to the Tortuga Music Festival.
The country superstar has been a reliable symbol of sunny good times for the SPF-slathered masses at Tortuga Music Festival since he got the first edition off the ground in 2013. The 2026 festival, set for Fort Lauderdale Beach Park on April 10-12, will be Chesney’s sixth appearance as a headliner.
In other welcome news, the festival has put single-day tickets on sale, a particularly attractive feature for locals who can’t find the time or the money to attend all three days.
In addition to Chesney, the headlining set on opening night by country-pop innovator Post Malone has added extra buzz to Tortuga 2026. The eclectic bill also will include Saturday headliner Riley Green, Dwight Yoakam, Lukas Nelson, Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line, Grammy-winning singer Colbie Caillat, rap icon Ice Cube and rockers The Fray (“How to Save a Life”).
Parkland-raised singer-songwriter Ashley Cooke also will perform at the festival she grew up watching from the audience.
Brayln Kelly
Country singer Ashley Cooke, who spent her high school years in Parkland, will return to perform at this year’s Tortuga Music Festival. (Brayln Kelly/Courtesy)
Here is a look ahead to what you’ll find at Tortuga Music Festival 2026, what it costs, set times for your favorite acts, and the best way to get there. For more, visit TortugaMusicFestival.com.
When/where
The Tortuga Music Festival takes place from noon to 10 p.m. April 10-12 at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, 1100 Seabreeze Blvd. The main entrance is on the north side of the festival site, with the box office and will-call booth nearby, on the sand near the Sunset Stage. The VIP box office is in the lobby of the B Ocean Resort Fort Lauderdale Beach at 1140 Seabreeze Blvd., on the south end of the site.
Jim Rassol / Sun Sentinel
The Tortuga Music Festival offers a unique atmosphere to catch your favorite country music stars on the sand at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park. (Jim Rassol/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
Set times
Performances will take place on three stages, beginning at about 1 p.m. each day.
Friday, April 10: Mary Kutter (1:05 p.m.), Emily Ann Roberts (1:25 p.m.), Chayce Beckham (1:45 p.m.), Lakeview (1:50 p.m.), Surfer Girl (2:30 p.m.), Hunter Flynn (2:40 p.m.), Ashley Cooke (2:50 p.m.), Elizabeth Nichols (3:40 p.m.), Sons of Legion (3:45 p.m.), Lukas Nelson (4:10 p.m.), Chandler Walters (4:45 p.m.), Flatland Cavalry (5:15 p.m.), Dwight Yoakam (6 p.m.), Ice Cube (7:10 p.m.), Post Malone (8:25 p.m.)
Saturday, April 11: Adam David (1:05 p.m.), Buffalo Traffic Jam (1:25 p.m.), Graham Barham (1:45 p.m.), Solon Holt (1:50 p.m.), Brittney Spencer (2:30 p.m.), Preston Cooper (2:40 p.m.), Colbie Caillat (2:50 p.m.), Owen Riegling (3:40 p.m.), Afroman (3:45 p.m.), Clay Walker (4:10 p.m.), Cole Goodwin (4:45 p.m.), G. Love & Special Sauce (5:15 p.m.), Tyler Hubbard (6 p.m.), The Fray (7:10 p.m.), Riley Green (8:25 p.m.)
Sunday, April 12: Rhys Rutherford (1:05 p.m.), Brandon Wisham (1:25 p.m.), Greylan James (1:45 p.m.), The Band Loula (1:50 p.m.), The Wheeland Brothers (2:30 p.m.), Something Out West (2:40 p.m.), Uncle Kracker (2:50 p.m.), McCoy Moore (3:40 p.m.), Amanda Shires (3:45 p.m.), Shane Smith & The Saints (4:10 p.m.), The Jack Wharff Band (4:45 p.m.), Josh Ross (5:15 p.m.), Russell Dickerson (6 p.m.), Dustin Lynch (7:10 p.m.), Kenny Chesney (8:25 p.m.)
Jim Rassol / Sun Sentinel
Kenny Chesney will return to the Fort Lauderdale festival for a record sixth time. (Jim Rassol/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
Passes
Admission is by wristband, available at TortugaMusicFestival.com/passes. These are the current prices, which will increase as the festival approaches. Guests can exit and re-enter the festival just once per day.
One-day passes: A single-day, general-admission pass costs $185 for Friday, $205 for Saturday and Sunday; single-day GA+ passes (including access to a lounge area with air-conditioned restrooms and a full-service bar) cost $269, and single-day VIP is $835 for Friday and Saturday and $886 for Sunday. (Note: Prices will increase in the days before the festival.)
Three-day passes: The three-day GA pass costs $365, and for GA+ it’s $615. Cost is $1,709 for VIP and $2,685 for Super VIP (there’s a wait list). Even more exclusive, Tortuga’s three-day Captain’s Cabanas are still available. They typically sell out.
Good karma
A portion of the proceeds from the Tortuga Music Festival go to the Rock the Ocean Foundation, a conservation nonprofit created by part-time Fort Lauderdale resident Chris Stacey, a diver, ocean-environment advocate and longtime music-industry veteran.
The Conservation Village is a centerpiece of the festival site and home to dozens of organizations that work on sustainability efforts for the ocean and species that live in it. The festival has raised nearly $5 million for these initiatives. For more information, visit RockTheOcean.com.
Jim Rassol / South Florida Sun Sentinel
Rock the Ocean Foundation’s Conservation Village at the Tortuga Music Festival is dedicated to raising public awareness about the fragile state of the world’s oceans. (Jim Rassol/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
Transportation
Parking: There is no dedicated festival parking, so using a ride-share service or the Water Taxi shuttle is encouraged. For information, visit TortugaMusicFestival.com/getting-here.
Water Taxi: During the festival, Water Taxi service will offer pickups every 20 to 30 minutes from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily from three departure points with nearby parking garages.
• Stop 1: Riverside Hotel + Stranahan House, 335 SE Sixth Ave.
• Stop 4: Hilton Marina + Convention Center, 1881 SE 17th St.
• Stop 8: GALLERYone hotel, 2670 E. Sunrise Blvd., next to The Galleria mall (where parking is free)
Passes: Water Taxi passes must be purchased in advance. A single-day pass costs $35, and a three-day Water Taxi pass is $75. New this year, Platinum Passes include unlimited service all weekend, a dedicated drop-off spot closer to the VIP entrance and a complimentary pre-event drink. Cost: $140 per day, $375 for three days. For more information, visit WaterTaxi.com/tickets-tortuga.
Brightline: The high-speed rail line offers service to Fort Lauderdale from five departure points: Miami, Aventura, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Orlando. For schedules and ticket information, visit GoBrightline.com.
Bag rules
Patrons and bags will be searched on entry. Only clear-plastic reusable bags no larger than 12-by-6-by-12 inches will be permitted (no plastic shopping/grocery bags). Smaller clutch purses and fanny packs 6-by-9 inches or smaller do not have to be clear. CamelBak-style hydration packs that are 1.5 liters or less also do not have to be clear, along with diaper bags and medically necessary bags.
Cash out
Tortuga is non-cash, with payments made with your wristband, if registered with the Tortuga App or at TortugaMusicFestival.com/info. You also can pay with credit and debit cards, Google Pay and Apple Pay. There will be stations inside the festival where you can transfer cash to a prepaid card.
You can bring this
Here are some of the items you’re allowed to bring onto the festival site: Sunscreen (nonaerosol), fanny packs, beach towel, snacks (one reusable gallon-sized bag of snacks is allowed), empty reusable water bottles (they can be filled for free at water stations inside), e-cigarettes, lawn chair (low-profile beach chairs, bag chairs, inflatable sofas allowed in designated chair zone). Strollers (with accompanying child) are allowed.
But don’t bring that
On the list of items not permitted at Tortuga are: alcohol or any beverages, aerosols of any kind, glass containers, blankets, zoom-lens cameras, iPads or tablets, GoPro cameras, drones and other recording devices, coolers, umbrellas, tents, grills, flags/totems. For a complete list, visit TortugaMusicFestival.com/info.
Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on IG: @BenCrandell.