Okeechobee 2018
Photo Credit: Bearlosophy

After months of rumors and speculation, today it has been confirmed that Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival will not be returning in 2019.

Update November 29, 2018: Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival has officially announced that they will be taking a hiatus in 2019. Read the full statement on Twitter below:

Since their debut edition, Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival had begun to pick up some serious steam as they delivered solid lineups and plenty of art for their attendees to explore. Drawing in thousands each year to the Sunshine State catch sets by major names ranging from Travis Scott and Snoop Dogg to Bassnectar and Porter Robinson, it seemed that a new major player in the festival circuit had surfaced.

Earlier this fall, rumors began to circulate that Okeechobee would not be returning in 2019. No news about the upcoming edition of the festival had surfaced and no responses had been made to inquiries about the return. The outlook seemed ominous as well, as OMF’s parent company Soundslinger LLC, had laid off their employees and shuttered their doors earlier that month. While they still owned the land and the potential of another promoter taking the reins moving forward, it seems as if the final nail is in the coffin for Okeechobee’s return in 2019.

“It’s pretty safe to say there won’t be a festival this year.”

– Okeechobee County Administrator Robbie Chartier.

Said after the Okeechobee County Board of Commissioners meeting back on November 8, it was made clear that it wouldn’t be back in 2019. There was no application made for a permit, and today, The Festive Owl has provided the minutes from the November 8 meeting that states the Okeechobee Board of Commissioners would be meeting with the OMF organizers, but that “there will be no festival in 2019.”

While the festival may not be returning in 2019, there is still some hope that it could return for another edition in 2020. We’ve reached out to Okeechobee Music Festival for comment. Stay tuned as more information continues to surface as this story develops.

Connect with Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival:

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Grant Gilmore
Grant has been listening to electronic dance music since the early 2000s. Actively involved in the EDM community, Grant is an admin for the EDC & Coachella subreddits and their Facebook groups. Previously he has been part of several EDM startups and promotion companies such as Shamele55, Electric State of Mind and Q-Dance. Originally listening to trance artists such as ATB, Armin Van Buuren and Paul Oakenfold, Grant has expanded his listening experience to include a full set of genres ranging from hardstyle to deep house and has been regularly attending both festivals and club events since 2010.

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