Be here now. It’s easier said than done in an age where cell phones, headlines, deadlines, bills and a constant slew of online ads make it hard to be truly present in the moment.
But that is the mantra of Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival, a “sanctuary” where attendees are freed from the trappings of monotonous everyday life for one weekend of dancing and merriment.
The festival returned March 19-22 with four days chock-full of bands, DJs, engaging experiences and camping for the estimated 30,000 attendees from around the country who celebrated the event’s 10th anniversary after a two-year hiatus.
During my first experience at the festival, I found that after allowing my brain to relax and settle into what was happening around me, many things caught my interest. Whether it was seeing a band I was excited about, like LCD Soundsystem or The Lumineers, or interacting with art installations, Okeechobee (OMF) presented a full immersion that allowed me to escape, feel and exhale.
Here’s a glimpse into what year 10 brought for one of Florida’s biggest camping festivals, which brought T-Pain, GRiZ, Cage the Elephant, Rainbow Kitten Surprise and more than 100 other acts to the 800-acre Sunshine Grove in Okeechobee.
Day 1: The lay of the land
After departing from Orlando with a trio of friends, the first order of business was simply getting to the festival. After the 1.5-hour drive to Okeechobee, we waited another 3.5 hours to enter the venue, as hundreds of cars waited to reach the security checkpoint, where vehicles were searched.
While waiting in line was taxing, the influx of festival-goers is good news for the area. A Lake Okeechobee News reporter told me the county’s population doubles when the festival comes to town, resulting in a significant economic boost for local businesses.
Once we were inside, we made quick work of setting up camp, battling the wind to keep our tents from blowing away.
After that, it was time to get our bearings. Walking from the VIP campgrounds, we first saw Aquachobee, the hub for daytime fun in the sun, with DJs each afternoon, a beach for playing volleyball or lying out, and a nearby Ferris wheel. We also passed through Chobeewobee Village, which houses the T Lounge and Liebrary, each of which provides intimate spaces for relaxing and exploring.
We then found our way to The Grove, the setting for most of the festival’s bigger names on the large Be stage and the adjacent Now stage, where we caught the very end of Saxsquatch’s set. The performer dresses up in a Bigfoot costume and plays along with electronic music on the saxophone. I can’t think of a better way to kick off the weekend.
Big Wild was up next on the Be stage, bringing melodic dance and peaceful vibes to the crowd gathered, who swayed to the music or lay out on the grass.
After recalibrating at camp, we caught sight of a rainbow on our way back into the festival, which lit up the sky opposite a magnificent sunset that broke through the clouds. In that moment, we all shared a smile and knew this was exactly where we were supposed to be.
The night brought a lively dubstep set from DJ Level Up, followed by the night’s main event, Cage the Elephant.
With their latest release, “Neon Pill,” the alternative rockers have been on an escalator that only goes up, and they sure know how to put on a show. From lead singer Matt Shultz’s gravity-defying jumps to guitarist Brad Shultz’s crowd work, the band kept the audience hyped from the first song to the last. The cost? Several guitars smashed or thrown, but that’s rock ‘n’ roll, baby.
We took a detour to the T Lounge with a break in the evening, where we listened to The All You Can Eat Orchestra jam in an intimate space where the audience is surrounded on all sides by speakers and sheltered beneath a hammock of palm trees. The night ended with a relentless high-energy spectacle by up-and-coming DJ Knock2, where we danced until we couldn’t anymore.
Day 2: Dancing the night away
After some much-needed rest, we awoke on the second day prepared to see what the festival had in store for us.
A South Florida-based journalist and I decided to venture over to the Liebrary, a space that encourages visitors to “check your truths” and instead create a new story about the character and role you assume after consulting with the librarian. The space has real books to read and places to lounge within a small bamboo forest, making for an ideal spot to unwind or chill away from the stages.
The late afternoon brought a laid-back indie set from Japanese Breakfast, during which we lay out on the lawn and relaxed hard. During a four-day festival, pacing is important, and it felt refreshing to be off our feet.
The evening brought a dose of positivity and affirmation for the LGBTQ+ community when Rainbow Kitten Surprise appeared on the Be stage. The alternative rock band sang about love, mental health, heartbreak and personal triumph, inspiring the colorful crowd.
When T-Pain took the stage at 10 p.m. that night, the party truly began. With a setlist of his greatest hits from “Buy U a Drank” to “I’m N Luv,” the seasoned performer deftly nailed his vocals while dancing around the stage, proving he knows how to bust a move, too. He even hit a few covers, including “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
One of the most-anticipated acts of the festival appeared just after midnight, saxophone in hand. Dynamic and spirited DJ GRiZ brought funky dubstep and electronic music that sampled and remixed Eminem, Beyoncé and Backstreet Boys. The set’s energy was amplified by vocalist Kaleena Zanders, rapper ProbCause, a trumpet, a trombone and GRiZ himself playing sax throughout the set. The crowd danced hard, forgetting about anything other than the magic of the moment.
Day 3: Saved for the moment
In my experience, a camping festival’s Saturday is typically the longest and most jam-packed day. Accordingly, we took it very easy and caught the end of a sound bath session in the Festival’s Jungle 51 area, which is tucked away in the woods and usually set up for DJs who play well into the night.
After a restful day, we prepared for a long night of music. Goth Babe brought the perfect sun-soaked indie rock to the afternoon before it was time for the main events. GRiZ came back for a “chasing the golden hour” set that was more mellow than his funky dubstep-infused set the night before. The melodic and sunny set was infused with love, horns and abundant good vibes that set the tone for the rest of the night.
We ventured over to the Now stage to check out a set that’s unique to Okeechobee. This year’s Okee PoWoW! “superjam” brought together DJ LP Giobbi, along with Goose guitarist Rick Mitarotonda, Dominic Lalli of Big Gigantic and keyboardist Aron Magner of The Disco Biscuits. This event unites musicians who have likely never played together for a unique and unpredictable set.
A four-piece string section, a clarinet and a French horn joined the band at one point, bringing a touch of classical music to a melodic and beautiful electronic music set. The combination was enthralling and uplifting, and a great way to keep the energy high into the night.
What came next was my most anticipated set of the weekend: LCD Soundsystem. The “dance-punk revival” band from Brooklyn disbanded in 2011, then reunited in 2016 and has occasionally played shows since. Jamming on hits such as “Home,” “Dance Yrself Clean” and “All My Friends,” the band’s fat synths and disco drumbeat paired well with James Murphy’s dynamic vocals and self-aware lyrics that felt more relevant than ever.
One line in the song “Someone Great” struck me as particularly poignant. “We’re safe for the moment. Saved for the moment.” That’s how I felt in the crowd dancing along with LCD Soundsystem. I was safe to feel, to be lost and free in the present.
Day 4: A bittersweet goodbye
By day four, I felt very at home in the festival environment, and reflecting on the last several days. I thought about how people seek out events like this to shed their usual “professional” appearances and escape their jobs to dress however they want, let their hair down and forget about reality for a little while.
It’s a blessing and an experience where people start dreaming about the next one shortly after leaving.
By Sunday of the festival, it felt difficult not to let the work week or thoughts of an upcoming dentist appointment enter my brain. But I fought as hard as I could to stay there in the moment.
The final day slipped by too fast, with the afternoon bringing a Frisbee tossing session to the tunes of the Rebirth Brass Band, followed by laid-back reggae and indie vibes from Tropidelic, The Movement and Moon Taxi. After packing up camp and catching our final sunset of Okeechobee weekend, we ventured over to the Here stage, housed beneath a giant tent, to see Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners.
As one of our favorite bands of the last year or two, we were eager to hear them. The band did not disappoint, nailing reverb-soaked guitar riffs and soothing vocals that brought out my tender side. During the song “Lake Missoula,” which is about life transitions and releasing emotions, I felt a lot of things I had been holding back, letting go of the grief and stress I had been bottling up.
The Lumineers proved to be the perfect band to close out the weekend. With energetic folk music, members of the lively seven-piece band swapped instruments, skipped around the stage, ventured out into the crowd and inspired the audience to sing along.
Exhausted but hearts full, we returned home covered in dust but lighter and happier than when we left for the festival several days before. Escapes like OMF feel special when they come around. In the meantime, we’ll look forward to the next one.
Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com. Stay up to date with our latest travel, arts and events coverage by subscribing to our newsletters at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.
