FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The 12th annual Tortuga Music Festival kicks off on Friday along Fort Lauderdale Beach.
Big stars like Keith Urban, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll and Shaboozey are just some of the acts that will take the stage over the weekend for the festival that helps bring awareness to the importance of protecting our oceans.
Over 100,000 people are expected to enjoy the music and fun over the three-day weekend, with three stages and a VIP area set up fit for South Florida.
The festival is located at 1100 Seabreeze Boulevard and will run from 12 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily.
“We’ve planted 30,000 sea oats on this very beach,” said Tortuga founder and CEO Chris Stacey.
Part of the proceeds from the festival go to Rock the Ocean, which has raised millions over the years for environmental conservation groups in South Florida.
“One of my favorite examples is our cups,” said Stacey. “So we took all of our cups from last year put them in a compost bin and 10 weeks later it turned to soil and we distributed to local community gardens.”
Debuting this year at Tortuga is country music rising star and winner of The Voice, Bryce Leatherwood.
“I got a debut album coming out on May 16th,” said Leatherwood. “I’ve been working on this record for over two years and I’m so excited to have it out.”
Officials with the city of Fort Lauderdale have posted a traffic advisory, which read:
“Motorists should expect delays on all barrier island roadways, especially A1A and Seabreeze Boulevard. Delays should also be expected on Southeast 17th Street and Las Olas Boulevard. For all three nights of the event, there will be a short road closure for both northbound and southbound traffic from Harbor Drive to SE 5th Street from 9:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. to allow the crowd to safely exit the venue. During this closure, all vehicular traffic south of East Las Olas Boulevard will be funneled northbound on A1A or westbound off the barrier island over the East Las Olas Boulevard bridge.”
Additionally, festivalgoers should be aware that there is no designated event parking.
Per the city, “Attendees are encouraged to use a rideshare service or the Water Taxi for transportation to and from the event. Taxis and rideshare services are to utilize the designated pick-up and drop-off locations which include Las Olas Oceanside Park, located at 3000 E. Las Olas Boulevard, and the Harbor Drive loop.”