Rock The Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival, Ft. Lauderdale (FL) USA

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida is carving out its niche as a serious festival destination. In April 2014, the city played host to the second annual Rock The Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival. Held on the white sands of Fort Lauderdale Beach Park in a beautiful oceanside setting, The Tortuga Music Festival is a multi-day, multi-stage music festival featuring some of the biggest names in country, rock and roots music. It’s hard to imagine a more comfortable and relaxed setting for a major music festival.

And perhaps best of all, the Tortuga Music Festival brings like-minded fans together for an unforgettable beach weekend experience that pairs music with meaning to raise awareness for marine conservation. The festival works hand in hand with the Rock The Ocean Foundation to increase public awareness about the issues impacting the world’s oceans and to support scientific research, education and ocean conservation initiatives. As part of the festivities, organizers create a “Conservation Village” – an arena of exhibits within the festival grounds that offers a variety of interactive, educational experiences to festival-goers.

Featured music performers this year included, among a host of others, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Hank Williams Jr., Train, Sheryl Crow, Ziggy Marley, Dierks Bentley and 38 Special – all of whom delivered to a large and enthusiastic crowd of passionate music lovers. “The overall vibe at the festival was incredible,” says Studio Jams contributor Michael Cheney. “Considering the fact that this was only their second year, I was impressed by how smoothly it ran. The organizers obviously know what they’re doing.”

For a weekend of guaranteed fun and memorable music, make plans to visit Ft. Lauderdale, Florida next April – for the 3rd annual Rock The Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival.