Tortuga Music Festival Returns to Fort Lauderdale With a Weekend of Hits and High Energy

Rock The Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival Continues To Amplify Sustainability Efforts and Ocean Conservation, Earns ACM “Festival of the Year” Nomination

NASHVILLE, TN – Rock The Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival, in partnership with Live Nation, hosted fans for a weekend of unmatched entertainment featuring headliners Post Malone, Riley Green and Florida favorite Kenny Chesney. Today, the festival was announced as a nominee for “Festival of the Year” at the upcoming 61st Academy of Country Music Awards, further cementing its impact on the live music landscape. Named the “ultimate tropical mosh pit” with a “powerhouse mix” (Brit + Co.) of performers, the 13th annual festival brought over 50 artists ranging from country staples Dwight Yoakam, Russell Dickerson and Tyler Hubbard to rap and rock favorites like Ice Cube, Afroman and The Fray.

On Friday, the Sunset Stage kicked off Tortuga with performances from Emily Ann Roberts and Flatland Cavalry, who led sing-alongs and even tapped the crowd to cover Kaitlin Butts’ part in “A Life Where We Work Out.” Fans of all ages went wild as Ice Cube took the stage, delivering legendary hits like “It Was a Good Day” and “Straight Outta Compton.” For the first time in Tortuga history, SiriusXM’s Music Row Happy Hour broadcast live from Rock The Ocean’s Conservation Village, where co-hosts Buzz Brainard and Nicholas “Nick Ultra” Elliott interviewed artists. Over on the Main Stage, the festival opened with Chayce Beckham, Ashley Cooke, Lukas Nelson, and Dwight Yoakam, who ushered in the first sunset with his signature pedal steel-laced honky-tonk sound. To close out opening night, a packed crowd gathered for Post Malone, who kept the party going with genre-spanning hits like “I Had Some Help” and “Rockstar.”

The high energy carried into Saturday, with nearly 20 performances set against a breezy backdrop. Colbie Caillat surprised fans with an intimate pop-up at Conservation Village before heading to the Main Stage, where Graham Barham and Clay Walker also delivered standout performances. Tyler Hubbard brought a heartfelt moment when he welcomed his wife Hayley and their three kids onstage, later leading the crowd in a sing-along to “Cruise.”Meanwhile on the Sunset Stage, Buffalo Traffic Jam and Brittney Spencer had fans dancing under the warm Florida sun before Afroman kept the momentum going with crowd favorites “Crazy Rap (Colt 45 & 2 Zig Zags)” and “Because I Got High,” along with his viral hit “Lemon Pound Cake.” G. Love & Special Sauce followed, and as the sun went down on Day 2 of Tortuga, the band’s frontman jumped into the crowd for a face-to-face rendition of “Hurricane,” performed iconic hits like “How to Save a Life” and a rock-leaning take on The Chicks' “Goodbye Earl.” Riley Green wrapped the night on the Main Stage with originals like “Worst Way” and “Don’t Mind If I Do,” joined by Colbie Caillat. He also treated fans to a string of covers, including Alabama’s “Dixieland Delight,” Jamey Johnson’s “In Color,” and a double dose of Toby Keith with “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” and “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.”

Wrapping up the sunny, star-studded weekend, fans at the Sunset Stage were treated to unforgettable performances from Brandon Wisham, The Wheeland Brothers, Amanda Shires, Josh Ross and Dustin Lynch, who had the audience “Seein’ Red” with “Thinking ‘Bout You” and the weekend’s second “Goodbye Earl” rendition. Over on the Main Stage, festivities kicked off with Greylan James and Uncle Kracker, who lit up the stage with his take on “Neon Moon” and easy-going hits including “Smile.” He was followed by red dirt rockers Shane Smith & The Saints and Russell Dickerson, who brought the energy as the crowd sang and danced along to viral hit “Happen To Me.” As the sun went down on Tortuga 2026, fans welcomed Kenny Chesney back to the Main Stage for a historic sixth time. Chesney performed sunsoaked favorite “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem” and “Summertime” as well as TikTok trending “Out Last Night.” Chesney welcomed Uncle Kracker to the stage for “Follow Me” and “Drift Away” and the crowd went wild when Megan Moroney made a surprise appearance for three songs, including the duo’s hit “You Had To Be There.”

The weekend also showcased the next generation of country music featured on the Next From Nashville stage, giving attendees a chance to discover the genre’s hottest acts including Preston Cooper, Adam David, Hunter Flynn, Cole Goodwin, Solon Holt, Mary Kutter, Lakeview, The Band Loula, McCoy Moore, Elizabeth Nichols, Owen Riegling, Rhys Rutherford, Chandler Walters, Something Out West and The Jack Wharff Band. 

Since its debut in 2013, Tortuga has been making waves—raising millions and supporting over 100 nonprofits dedicated to ocean conservation and marine life protection. These efforts span the U.S., Bahamas, South Africa, and Asia, with research driving measurable impact. At the heart of the festival is a commitment to sustainability, focused on five core issues: sea turtles, coral reefs, sharks, marine habitats, and marine mammals. That mission comes to life through Rock The Ocean’s Conservation Village, where fans can see exactly how their ticket purchases make a difference and how they can get involved. It’s also reflected in the festival’s operations, from achieving nearly 80% waste diversion to keep materials out of landfills, to becoming the first major music festival to ban single-use plastic bottles in 2015, and implementing more than 340 sustainability initiatives across energy, emissions, waste, and fan engagement. Beyond its on-site efforts, Tortuga stands apart as one of the only major festivals built around a conservation mission.Tortuga is now officially Blue Verified, recognizing its commitment to eliminating single-use plastics, managing waste responsibly, and advancing sustainable practices as part of Oceanic Global’s pioneering Blue Standard to help protect our ocean. Through the Rock The Ocean Foundation, it has raised more than $6 million for ocean conservation.

For more information and to join the conversation, visit TortugaMusicFestival.com, Tweet: @FestivalTortuga #TortugaFest, Instagram: @TortugaMusicFestival #TortugaFest, Snapchat: @TortugaFest, Facebook: Facebook.com/TortugaMusicFestival.

The Rock The Ocean Foundation is dedicated to supporting scientific research, education and increasing public awareness about the issues impacting the world’s oceans. Rock The Ocean teams up with high profile musical artists and entertainers, who will perform and participate in events that educate the public on marine conservation. Rock The Ocean founder Chris Stacey is an avid ocean lover, diver and 20-year music industry veteran. Tortuga Music Festival will bring to life his vision, uniting the best and brightest in music, working to raise awareness about the issues currently impacting our oceans and their delicate ecosystems.

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Media & Sponsorship. For additional information, visit livenationentertainment.com.