The Sights, Sounds and Sets of Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival 2017

Nestled in the remote and seemingly desolate pastures of South Florida, more than 40,000 festival-goers set up camp for the second year of Soundslinger’s Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival.

The four day festival, which ran from March 3 through 5, fostered a long weekend full of workshops, live music, art and creativity.

The festival featured notable acts like GriZ, Logic, Mac Demarco, Snails, Flume, Bassnectar Kings of Leon, Pretty Lights, The Lumineers, Waka Flocka Flame and Wiz Khalifa, among a lengthy list of others.

Gainesville was represented at the festival, with performances by our very own, locally-based rock band The Delta Troubadours and by Fae Nageon de Lestang of Flat Land, performing her solo work as Animal Prince.

The lineup had a sound for every ear, of every genre and at any time of the day. Acts were scheduled back-to-back, keeping the momentum of the festival up until its final day.

For Floridians itching to attend a larger music festival but weary of the travel, Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival serves as the much needed alternative to festivals like Bonarroo and Lollapolooza. Okeechobee fills a longstanding void in music and festival culture in the Sunshine State.

While the festival has only just concluded its second year, Soundslinger puts on a well organized event, working out little quirks and adding new perks as the festival has matured.

The three stages, “Be,” “Here” and “Now,” all aptly named in the theme of the weekend, were walking distance from the campsites— each named after a different texting acronym.

Bordered by specialty, eclectic food trucks, the stages were situated close enough to switch shows easily, while avoiding any sound interference from neighboring stages.

Food trucks catered to every craving, peddling goods like Hyppo ice pops, Amish doughnuts, grilled cheese, seafood and tacos.

For those looking for a site to lounge and take a break from the tunes, Chobeewobee Village was decorated by artisanal crafts and merchandise, creative workshops, body marbling and art installations.

To immerse yourself in the experience further and truly disconnect, Yogachobee offered morning schedules of yoga classes, meditation and massages.

Jungle 51, which played techno, electronic music all day and all night, kept the party going for even the latest of night owls. Creative light arrangements and installations illuminated the trees cluttered with rows of hammocks, making the setup of the festival a live art installation itself.

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