SunFest, Florida’s biggest music festival, has been bringing the biggest names in popular music to perform for crowds in West Palm Beach since 1982. For the 34th annual SunFest, over 175,000 people are expected to pack West Palm Beach’s Arts and Entertainment District to see their favorite bands perform. This year’s festival starts Wednesday, April 29 and will run until Sunday, May 3.
Over 50 bands and recording artists will be taking to the stages set up in downtown West Palm Beach throughout the five-day festival. For the full lineup, visit lineup.sunfest.com. Below is a partial schedule, featuring some of Hotspots’ picks.
On the first day, Wednesday, April 29, the band Wilco will be performing on the Tire Kingdom Service Centers Stage starting at 8 p.m. On the Ford Stage, platinum-certified recording artist Lenny Kravitz will perform a set starting at 8:30 p.m. On Thursday, April 30, Copeland will be performing on the Ford Stage starting at 7 p.m., followed by the group Paramore at 8:30.
On Friday, May 1, Bea Miller, who performed in Orlando this past December to rave reviews, will be performing on the Tire Kingdom Service Centers Stage starting at 7 p.m., followed by Lindsey Stirling at 8:30. On the Ford Stage, Kaskade will be performing a set starting at 9:30 and ending at 11. The acts you just can’t miss on Saturday, May 2 are Eddie Money, who will be on the Tire Kingdom Service Centers Stage at 3:30 p.m.; Stone Temple Pilots with Chester Bennington, who will take the same stage at 9:15 p.m.; and Hozier, whose hit “Take Me to Church” was the talk of the industry late last year. He will be performing on the Ford Stage at 9:45 p.m.
The final day of the festival, Sunday, May 3, promises to be the most exciting. A dozen acts will be performing across three stages, with Matisyahu performing on the Florida Power and Light Stage at 3:15 p.m., the classic rock group Boston on-stage at the Tire Kingdom Service Centers Stage at 6:45 for a special two-hour concert, and the rock band Fall Out Boy closes out the festival on the Ford Stage at 7:30 p.m. What a great five days of music!
In addition to seeing your favorite acts perform right here in South Florida, there are lots of fun activities in which people can participate at SunFest. For example, Captain Morgan is sponsoring a Floating Oasis, which is tied up to the seawall in downtown along Flagler Drive. Separated into three areas, the Oasis is sure to be the place to hang out in between your favorite concerts. On the north end, ESPN Radio 106.3 will be turning their barge area into a sports bar, complete with TVs broadcasting events such as the NBA Playoffs and the Kentucky Derby. On the middle barge, people are ready to party, courtesy of Wild 95.5, who will be broadcasting live with Elvis Duran and the Wild Morning Show group! On the south side, a tiki lounge has been built, combining music and drinks in a relaxing atmosphere. 97.9 WRMF-FM will be broadcasting live from this area.
Also, on Friday, May 1 at 5:30 p.m., there will be a 5k run starting at Palm Beach Atlantic University and ending right at SunFest! The $49 registration fee includes admission to SunFest, prizes, and discounted SunFest tickets for your friends. To register, visit sunfest.com/events/tgi5k. The 5k run is presented by Florida Health Palm Beach County.
Tickets are available for sale right now online, over the telephone (1-800-786-3378), at the SunFest Store (525 Clematis St., West Palm Beach), at the event gates, or select Publix Super Markets. Advance ticket pricing is available through April 25 online and at Publix Super Markets in Palm Beach and Martin Counties. For a one-day pass, tickets cost $32 (advance)/$40 (regular). For a two-day pass, the ticket prices are $50 (advance)/$60 (regular). For the full five days, you can get the best value for your money by buying the tickets in advance for $70 ($80 regular). To purchase your tickets online, visit sunfest.com/tickets/general-ticket-info.
SunFest is funded in part by the Palm Beach County Tourism Development Council, the State of Florida, the Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Arts Council. For more information on SunFest, visit sunfest.com. Follow them on social media at facebook.com/sunfest, twitter.com/sunfestfl, and instagram.com/sunfest.
