Tortuga Music Festival kicks off in Fort Lauderdale
The sun is hot, the beats are loud and Fort Lauderdale Beach is once again pulsing with the energy of the annual Tortuga Music Festival, a three-day event that brings up to 100,000 music lovers to the sand and surf for one of the city's biggest weekends of the year.
From music stars to concertgoers, Day One kicked off to a booming start and for some, getting there was half the fun.
Girls' weekend by boat
For Jena, Kathy and Leta, Tortuga isn't just a music festival, it's tradition.
The three friends are back for their annual girls' weekend, minus husbands, responsibilities, or the stress of parking.
"We get to not act our age, not hang out with our husbands and husbands aren't allowed to call or talk to us for a few days," laughed Leta Gardella.
They skip the pricey parking and traffic jams by arriving in style on a private boat.
"It's her private boat," Jena said.
"She takes care of us," added Kathy.
"We've got this down to a science," Leta said. "This isn't our first rodeo. I hire a captain to drive my boat."
Beating the traffic with smarts and strategy
Patty and her wife Lois, visiting from Lady Lake, won their Tortuga tickets through a radio contest, but it was their travel plan that made them winners in more ways than one.
"We Ubered; we didn't park," Patty said.
"We played it smart. We got a cottage up in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and we called an Uber," Lois added. "It cost us 20 bucks to get down here."
With limited parking and steep rates, organizers are urging festivalgoers to consider ride-sharing, water taxis, or other creative ways to get to the beach.
Just across the street, Marina Village is benefiting from the Tortuga rush, welcoming those who want the music without the chaos.
"We're getting a lot of people who just want to enjoy the vibe but not be in the environment of a big festival," said manager Sam Escobar.
With its first Tortuga weekend in business, the spot is expecting to ride the wave of the weekend.
"Tortuga's huge. It's a big draw of the year," Escobar said. "We're going to be the official after-party spot, so it's going to be a big boom for us."
Big names on the beach
Friday's headliners include Jelly Roll and Ludacris. Saturday will feature Keith Urban and Shaboozey, and Sunday closes out with country stars Luke Combs and Megan Moroney.
The party's just getting started and for thousands soaking up the sunshine and sounds, Tortuga is more than a festival. It's a Florida experience.
