Music Festivals Galore! 

  Spring Break is coming up fast. What do people like to do on Spring Break? Have fun, of course! A lot of individuals don’t know what to do on break so something that many people enjoy are music festivals! Countless folks love to listen to music… why not see your favorite artists or genres live? Music festivals are a little bit different than a concert, as they can last several days with various artists, bands, and groups. You can watch your music taste come to life. Here are some recommendations for music festivals in many cool places including here in Florida!  

  To kick off these recommendations, we’re going to start in Florida. A very popular music festival in St Petersburg which is about four hours away, is Reggae Rise Up. The Reggae genre originated in Jamaica in the 60s. It is widely known for its unique style combining native styles from Jamaica with components of historically black music that is popular in the United States. This event starts on March 14th and runs until the 17th, 2024.  

  An icon in the Reggae world is Bob Marley. If you haven’t heard of him, he is a popular Reggae artist who is loved all around the world. He was born on February 6th, 1945, and lived until May 11th, 1981. Some of his top hits are “Get Up, Stand Up”, “No Woman, No Cry”, and “Redemption Song”. Many people also love the song, “One Love”, it is claimed to be his biggest hit. Artists similar to Bob Marley will be performing at this festival and will be ready to give a lively show.  

  Staying in Florida but moving to Miami, there will also be a Blues music festival March 18-22 which will be ending three days after spring break will have concluded. This music festival is called Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea IX. This festival is particularly special because it takes place on a cruise and will sail from Miami to Cozumel, Mexico. If you’re ready for the most enchanting festival experience out at sea, then this is the perfect way to spend your break. For those of you who don’t know, the Blues are a genre of secular folk music. It originated in the South, as it was established historically by African Americans. The Blues are very dependent on the instrumental aspect, but it is essentially a vocal form of music. Many people enjoy the Blues, as it is very relaxing yet still very lively. Blues songs are mostly created with realistic concepts of life in mind. Join the Blues cruise for a fun and relaxing journey!  

  Flying over to the West Coast, we arrive in California! The next music festival takes place in Inglewood, California. More specifically, Hollywood Park. This festival, Rolling Loud California, starts on March 15th and ends on the 17th. Rolling Loud California is a hip-hop festival. It was established on February 28th, 2015. The first festival was held in Miami, FL. This event will have headliners such as Nicki Minaj, Post Malone, Future, and Metro Boomin. Some other popular artists that will also be performing are Party Next Door, Lil Tecca, Sexyy Red, $uicideboy$, Summer Walker, Big Sean, Lil Uzi Vert, Don Toliver, Bryson Tiller, Chief Keef, NLE Choppa, and 03Greedo. A student here at Nease, Addison Muka, says out of Bryson Tiller, Nicki Minaj, Chief Keef and Sexyy Red, she would love to see Sexyy Red live the most. So, this would be the perfect music festival for her. Although this is originally a hip-hop festival, over time it has expanded to many diverse music artists and genres. Still, the festival mainly sticks to rap and hip-hop. If you are a fan of any of these artists, buy the ticket and have the time of your life watching these live performances!  

  Saving the best for last, the final music festival mention is Coachella. It is known worldwide and was first established in 1999. It occurs in the same place every year: the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, more widely known as the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert. This festival brings together numerous artists, genres, and cultures to perform all on the same stage. Coachella is one of the most anticipated events of the year. Even if aren’t going, many people find ways to watch the performances. This festival will not be during spring break. The music festival starts on April 12th and ends on April 21st. Making the festival 10 days long. The reason behind the lengthy time of the festival is the number of artists performing. This year there will be 146 acts. This is a relatively low percentage for artists performing at Coachella. Usually there would be around 200+ acts. Headliners this year are Lana Del Rey, Tyler, The Creator, and Doja Cat. Miranda Gartz, a Nease freshman says her ideal lineup for a music festival is “Lana Del Rey, The Weeknd, and Tyler, TheCreator”. Coachella would be the perfect opportunity for this student to see her favorite artists live! Some additional artists include Peso Pluma, Lil Uzi Vert, Ice Spice, Sublime, Deftones, Lil Yachty, Blur, Grimes, and many more. Check the full lineup at coachella.com.  

  2024 has some fun things in store. If you love music and would love to see some of your favorite artists live, check out these music festivals. More information can be found on all these festivals at musicfestivalwizard.com. Make sure to treat yourself to any of these amazing experiences! 

By: Grace De La Torre