Tortuga Music Festival Rocks Fort Lauderdale Beach

What does a fun beach day look like for you? Does it include cracking open a cold beer? Dipping your toes in the sand? Or listening to some of your favorite jams? Well, Tortuga Music Festival is taking notes! Back for a triumphant 12th year on sunny Fort Lauderdale Beach, Tortuga Fest blazed the ocean with a piping hot 3-day country-led lineup with artists such as Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, Luke Combs, Shaboozey, Ludacris, and many more.

Day 1 - Friday, April 4th, 2025

Upon my first step onto the festival grounds, my jaw immediately dropped. Picture this: a sunny, sandy beach with three stages lined up along the ocean (the Main Stage, the Sunset Stage, and the Next From Nashville Stage). Art installations, including a huge withered sailboat and a big barreling wave, are peppered throughout the grounds. Festival goers sporting swimwear and sandals cozied up in beach chairs awaiting their next favorite musical act. An extravagant VIP section featuring an elevated deck with a swimming pool. The sights were truly remarkable, but what really excited me was the day of music ahead.

Parker McCollum

With being the first act I got the chance to see, Parker McCollum brought all the heat to the Main Stage. Performing his hits such as "Pretty Heart" and his latest single "What Kinda Man", it was abundantly clear McCollum loves what he does. From one corner to the next, McCollum ran across the stage, sharing his infectious energy with his fans.

Ludacris

Although Tortuga is a country music festival, they are no stranger to hip-hop legends. Taking on the Sunset Stage, Ludacris dazzled fans as he performed his hits such as "Act A Fool" and "Move B*tch". With myself being a HUGE hip-hop fan, I was absolutely starstruck. Even though I was hard at work behind my camera, I couldn't help myself from singing along with the thousands of fans in attendance. Who doesn't love Ludacris!?

Jelly Roll

Day 1 closed out with a bang as headliner Jelly Roll stepped onto the stage. While performing iconic hits such as "Liar" and "I Am Not Okay", Jelly Roll lit up the night sky with impressive pyrotechnics. Jelly Roll pours so much emotion into his performances, and it's even more apparent during his interactions with the audience. He frequently paused to chat with the crowd, pleading with them to follow their dreams and sharing tales from his own personal battles. It's so awesome watching someone who's come from such a difficult past stand on a stage in front of thousands of people and live his dream. If he can do it, you can, too.

Day 2 - Saturday, April 5th, 2025

I decided to take the start of day two to explore some of the vendor offerings around the festival. As far as food, Tortuga's "DoorDash Village" offered just about any cuisine you could desire. From burgers to vegan options, my personal favorite was the empanadas stand (they were to-die-for!). Just off of the food stands were an array of merchandise tents. From Tortuga's official merch to local vendors selling hand-made cowboy hats, there were plenty of apparel options to have you dripped-out in style just in time for your next set. Speaking of sets, it's time to get back to the music!

Jordan Davis

For my first set on day two, I got the honor of seeing Jordan Davis. I watched in awe as he blew through tracks such as "Buy Dirt" and "Next Thing You Know". The audience went wild for Davis, screaming and jumping in excitement each time he came down the catwalk.

Shaboozey

Now, this one, I was SUPER excited about. I personally believe Shaboozey is one of those once-in-a-lifetime artists; he has paved his own lane within the country scene and has completely redefined the genre for me. This performance only solidified that. I watched in PURE excitement as he performed hits such as "Drink Don't Need No Mix" and, of course, "A Bar Song (Tipsy)". Even though he is fairly new to the scene, the audience made sure to give him love by shouting each lyric word for word.

Keith Urban

With my family being gigantic country music lovers, Keith Urban has been a legend in my family since I was a child. Seeing him headline Tortuga Day 2 was absolutely surreal. From the moment he stepped on stage, he was shredding his signature electric guitar to his hit songs such as "Somebody Like You" and "Blue Ain't Your Color". The fans did not miss a beat, with every lyric seeming to hold so much meaning to them. It was clear I was in the presence of a true rockstar.

Day 3 - Sunday, April 6th, 2025

On the final day, I decided to dedicate some time to learning more about Tortuga's sustainability efforts. Since its first year in 2013, Tortuga's goal has been to raise money for ocean conservation and marine life protection. Over the years, Tortuga Music Festival has raised and donated millions of dollars to over 100 non-profits aligned with these goals. In 2024 alone, 114 tons of waste were diverted from landfills and away from our oceans, thanks to Tortuga's recycling efforts. How did they get the funds to achieve this? The fans! With every ticket sale to each year's Tortuga Festival, that money is used for cleaning up our oceans and beaches. How cool is that?!

Cody Jinks

Kicking off my start of the final day was Cody Jinks. As he sang his soulful tracks such as "Hippies and Cowboys" and "Loud and Heavy", I was blown away at his vocals. His smooth vocals, paired with his impeccable instrumental talents, blended to create an unforgettable performance. Some fans at the barricade told me they bought tickets specifically for the chance to see Cody live. Now that's what I call dedication.

Luke Combs

Closing out the final day of Tortuga was none other than headliner Luke Combs. Before he even stepped on stage, I could feel the crowd buzzing with excitement as they awaited his arrival. When the lights suddenly shut off and Combs appeared, the crowd roared in screams so loud that I still hear them. They chanted along to the lyrics of some of Combs' greatest hits, such as "Where the Wild Things Are" and "Beer Never Broke My Heart". From the pyrotechnics to Combs shotgunning of beers, nothing about this performance was laidback. He has made such a huge mark on the genre of country music as we know it, and this performance proved exactly why.

I had an absolute BLAST at Tortuga 2025! If you love country music, sunny Florida beaches, and great causes, we HIGHLY recommend that you keep up with Tortuga Music Festival on all social media to keep up with all the latest festival announcements:

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We hope to see you at Tortuga Music Festival 2026!