Happening April 5-7, 2024, the three-day festival brings a stable's worth of country talent to South Florida. Fresh off a performance at Country Bay, CMA Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson will return to South Florida in the spring. You can't fault Tortuga for booking the same headliner — Wilson has become a juggernaut in the country music world, part of a new generation of singer-songwriters who are crossing over onto the pop charts. Hardy, another new-gen country artist and songwriter for the likes of Florida Georgia Line and Morgan Wallen, will also headline, and he and Wilson will presumably join up on stage to play their CMA Award-winning song "Wait in the Truck."
The third and final headliner, however, is something of a controversial choice — and not because he's an upstart. Jason Aldean may be a country music veteran — in fact, both Wilson and Hardy have opened for him on tour — but he's been stoking a political firestorm thanks to his song "Try That in a Small Town." Critics have lambasted the tune and its video for "coded threats against Black people," as described by the Washington Post, and a backlash to the backlash from right-wingers propelled the track to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, a dark counter to the genre's other chart successes. Aldean last performed at the festival in 2019.
To be sure, Tortuga is heavy on country this year. Established artists such as Ashley McBride and Old Dominion will perform, and the fest is putting on a Next From Nashville Stage with up-and-comers from the Music City, including Sadie Bass, Annie Bosco, and Stephen Wilson Jr. Still, there's something for everyone on this lineup, from '90s R&B acts Boyz II Men and TLC to ex-Poison frontman Bret Michaels and reggae acts such as Long Beach Dub Allstars and Michael Franti & Spearhead.
Music lovers who want to party sustainably will enjoy Tortuga for its green commitments. The festival has long banned single-use plastics and plastic bottles, and its recycling program has diverted more than 600 tons of garbage from landfills, according to promoter Rock the Ocean. Tortuga will bring back its Conservation Village, allowing fans to learn about sustainability practices and more from various nonprofits. The village will feature activities such as a virtual shark dive and an eco exchange where fans can trade their trash for swag and prizes.
Passes for Tortuga Music Festival go on sale on Friday, December 1, at 10 a.m., with the presale starting on Tuesday, November 28, at 10 a.m. at tortugamusicfestival.com.
Below is the full lineup for Tortuga Music Festival 2024:
- Anne Wilson
- Annie Bosko
- Ashley McBryde
- Bailey Zimmerman
- Black Opry
- Boyz II Men
- Bret Michaels
- Brian Kelley
- Charles Wesley Godwin
- Chase Matthew
- Cooper Alan
- Dee Jay Silver
- DJ Rock
- Dylan Gossett
- Greylan James
- Hannah Ellis
- Hardy
- Huntergirl
- Jackson Dean
- Jason Aldean
- Jon Langston
- Kassi Ashton
- Koe Wetzel
- Kolby Cooper
- Lainey Wilson
- Logan Crosby
- Long Beach Dub Allstars
- Meg McRee
- Michael Franti & Spearhead
- Old Dominion
- Parmalee
- Peytan Porter
- Priscilla Block
- Red Clay Strays
- Russell Dickerson
- Sadie Bass
- Shwayze
- Teddy Swims
- The Castellows
- Tigirlily Gold
- TLC
- Turnpike Troubadours
- Warren Zeiders
- Wheeland Brothers
