Central Florida is home to Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, the state’s first “Dark Sky Park” designated by the International Dark Sky Association. Yet, about 30 miles to the south on the first weekend in March, the night skies will light up bright as day when the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival returns for its annual romp.
From the art to the woods to a line-up that includes jam, electronic, hip-hop, rap, R&B, dance, dubstep, disco, funk, indie, house, and techno, this fest is an evolution in progress.
In this Sit-Down with the Producer, RoadtripMojo posed some questions to fest cofounder Rechulski. We asked what’s new at OkeeFest – and what will never change – and what festival goers and RVers will discover at the fest’s sixth run… (GA and VIP ticket and camping packages are currently available for purchase at www.okeechobeefest.com)
What would returning festival goers notice as being different with OMF 2023 that they might not have seen in previous iterations?
We continually challenge ourselves to elevate the Okeechobee experience based on our learnings from each previous year. In our efforts to diversify this year’s offerings, we’ve added a new GA+ section which provides entry through the Portal to Okeechobee, as well as a spot in the campground, for all four days of the festival. It’s proving to be extremely popular with fans. We’ll also be bringing back beloved interactive activities such as Frick Fack Blackjack and are very excited about this year’s food and beverage offerings on the grounds.
That’s cool. What would you never change about the venue and what it offers? You have some magical components there. What’s too memorable to change up?
The art and sculptures that live on the grounds are a key component to the magic of OMF. These pieces of work, such as Siynada by Daniel Popper, stay on the festival grounds year-round, braving the hurricane winds and various weather elements. Each year, we add to the mix while simultaneously retaining those of the past. Sometimes they need a little touch up, but they do surprisingly well considering Florida’s temperamental weather. Our collection will always keep growing.
Short of any tweaks, the artist line-up is out. What were you trying to achieve this year? You’ve brought in Goose – which is as white-hot as any act can be today – as well as home-grown, South Florida favorite Guavatron. What has your process or goal been when it comes to curating or scheduling talent?
We’re constantly analyzing the market and listening to our fans. Our talent line up is, and has always been, a combination of what we personally enjoy mixed with requests from our passionate fans. We’re aware that no two festival goers have the exact same tastes, so we pride ourselves on curating a well-rounded, multi-genre festival that offers a little something for everyone. This year’s lineup contains over 120 artists that spans across an array of genres ranging from electronic, hip-hop, rap, R&B, dance, rock, dubstep, disco, funk, indie, house, and techno, to name a few, and features powerhouse headliners Odesza, Baby Keem, Excision and GRiZ, as well as fan favorites like Lil’ Yachty, Goose and Turnstile.
The culmination of this is the all-star jam session known as PoWoW! For those who have yet to experience Okeechobee, the PoWoW! pairs unexpected artists together for a variety of imaginative live mashups that mix the sounds of multiple genre-defining tunes. The year the PoWoW! will be led by GRAMMY nominated group Free Nationals and will see them collaborating with the likes of Big Boi, Rick Mitarotonda and Peter Anspach (both of Goose), Adam Deitch, Borahm Lee, and a few surprise guests.
What will festival campers see that’s new this year? We’ve visited your RV and yurt camping in the past. Any change-ups – from GA to VIP? Any new experiences there?
New this year, RV campers can purchase campsites in dedicated GA+ and VIP areas which were not previously offered. As an elevated offering, these campsites are in areas closer to the main festival grounds for easy and speedy access to all that the world of Okeechobee has to offer. There is also the VIP Grand Kachobee package. This provides festival entry through the Portal to Okeechobee for groups of up to five people, and a preset luxury tour bus to camp out all weekend with all the bells and whistles in a premier location.
What haven’t I asked that you’d like to share with readers? What message are you hoping will leave readers stoked and eager to attend this year?
With the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival, we always try to improve the experience each year. We take great pride in maintaining and curating our beautiful land for our 40,000 friends who visit us year after year to create new magic and memories together.
As always, we urge our guests to utilize the medical services on site if needed. We have a stellar team of certified medical professionals on hand 24/7 who are available to put your well-being first. Sending love and respect to all our festival goers!
The 2023 Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival will take place from Thursday, March 2nd through Sunday, March 5th in Okeechobee, FL.
OMF invites you to Enter the Portal here, and follow Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook.