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:
We love you Okeechobeeings, until we meet again… pic.twitter.com/MqcpImPA8k
— Okeechobee (@okeechobeefest) November 29, 2018
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.”
Update #7 — Official minutes from 11/8 meeting now reflect that no festival is happening in 2019. pic.twitter.com/bLAcdrs022
— Festive Owl (@TheFestiveOwl) November 20, 2018
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.
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