The inaugural Miami Beach Pop Festival is gearing up for a three-day experience featuring music, food, and the vibrant setting and culture of the world-famous Miami Beach on November 8th-10th.
Held on the sands of South Beach adjacent to the beachfront Lummus Park and the iconic Ocean Drive, Miami Beach Pop will feature a diverse lineup of world-wide artists spanning the genres of rock, Latin, R&B, dance, soul, country, reggae, jam and more across three stages—what’s not to love? But if you need a little more convincing, here are the top 10 reasons why you should go to Miami Beach Pop Festival.
1) It’s located on Miami Beach.
Known as one of the most iconic beaches in the world, Miami Beach Pop Festival rests on the warm, golden sands of Miami Beach, one of the world’s most vibrant and diverse cities in the world. Music + culture + beach hangs = an unforgettable festival experience.
[Photo: Luis Gomez]
2) Its music lineup features “Once-in-a-Lifetime Sh*t.”
The inaugural Miami Beach Pop Festival lineup features a number of unique performances throughout during its three days. The festival’s Sol Jam will feature legendary artist and producer Nile Rogers and other special guests for a one-time-only set that’s not to be missed. Stephen Marley, son of iconic reggae artist Bob Marley, will also welcome a number of special guests when he pays tribute to his father’s music and legacy at Miami Beach Pop. In case that’s not enough to entice you, Ben Folds (Ben Folds Five) will perform with the Frost School of Music American Music Ensemble for an orchestral performance to not miss!
3) The diversity of its lineup reflects the character of the city.
You won’t find every genre of music represented at many festivals, but that’s what makes Miami Beach Pop unique. This year, attendees can look forward to sets by Chance the Rapper, Jack Johnson, Daddy Yankee, and Kygo, along with performances by The Raconteurs, Juanes, Maggie Rogers, Leon Bridges, The Roots, Nile Rodgers and Chic, Sean Paul, T-Pain, Jessie Reyez, Bomba Estereo, Quinn XCII, Natti Natasha, Gryffin, Brytiago, Margo Price, Chelsea Cutler, Kim Petras, Two Feet, Lali, Magic City Hippies, Monsieur Perine, DJ Windows 98 (Win Butler of Arcade Fire), Rauw Alejandro, Ashe, Magic Giant, Roosevelt Collier, Reignwolf, Cimafunk, The Hip Abduction, Zander, Steven A Clark, Spam Allstars, Richie Hell, Afrobeta, the Miami Beach Senior High Rock Ensemble, and more.
Taking place in the heart of Miami Beach, the festival plans to unite the South Florida community through partnerships with businesses, schools, community leaders, and nonprofit organizations.
“Miami Beach Pop is a celebration of one of the most extraordinary cities in the world,” shares festival co-founder Paul Peck. “This unmatched, vibrant culture and iconic beach provide a rare combination of natural beauty and city excitement. The core purpose that drives the vision for this festival has been to celebrate the unity of human connection. We are honored to include artists such as Chance the Rapper and Jack Johnson, who are two of the most socially-conscious and inspiring figures in the contemporary cultural landscape.”
4) You can party all day and into the night.
Along with dozens of sets to dance to throughout the day, attendees will have time no time to waste as the music transitions into the night time. Miami Beach Pop attendees will have the ultimate beach party all day under the golden Miami sun and then bust out their best dance moons under the stars.
5) Its food offerings are out of this world.
Staying fueled throughout a festival is key, and Miami Beach Pop Festival has your culinary cravings covered. James Beard Award-winning Chef Michael Schwartz will curate the culinary lineup for the three-day event. In a nod to the city’s cross-cultural palate, Schwartz will showcase both the finer side of dining and some of Miami’s hidden culinary gems, bringing in a selection of culinary partners from throughout the culinary scene of Miami through different pop-up restaurants, brands, and chefs. His own Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink has become a staple by locals and visitors alike since 2007 and will collaborate with Miami Beach Pop Festival to bring iconic dishes that represent the city’s delicious and diverse food scene. ¡Salud!
“Michael is a legendary chef in the Miami culinary world and far beyond. He is known for his commitment to great, local ingredients and his deep love for a diversity of cuisines. Miami Beach Pop will host a food festival within a music festival. Just as we celebrate superstar artists, we are excited to showcase the same level of quality in curating this food lineup, and nobody knows the flavors of Miami better than Michael. The event is about connection and we can connect with other cultures through delicious food and flavors,” Peck said.
6) You get to enjoy beach weather in November.
Want to get away from November’s wet, cold weather? Escape to the Miami sun and warm your bones on the beach while dancing to dozens of sets by some of the world’s best musical performers. It’s the perfect little getaway we’ve all been dreaming about.
7) It celebrates diversity and our connections as people of the world.
Miami Beach Pop Festival is a celebration of diversity and connection. With the intention to create the most culturally diverse festival the world has ever seen, Miami Beach Pop Festival hopes to inspire and unite humans to connect to one another and the planet while dancing on the sand under the sun and stars. Language barriers do not separate us when we’re in the groove—all dance to the same rhythms and share the same spirit.
“We all love the basic pleasures of life — a beautiful, natural environment like our home in South Beach, the experiences of our feet in the sand, and sharing moments of joy and inspiration. Dancing with other people surrounded by nature is a classic human ritual and a true celebration of connection. We hope attendees embrace the experience to connect through fresh air, music, food, and a beautiful sunny day and late night dance parties together under the stars. We are all connected to the planet and are drawn to the power of the ocean. Miami Beach Pop is a celebration our universal connection,” Peck remarks.
8) You can stay in an iconic Miami art deco hotel.
Miami Beach Pop attendees can indulge in a vacation or staycation with an immersive experience at one of the historic art deco hotels that line Ocean Drive, just steps away from the festival grounds. Stay and party in Miami’s tropical paradise and unwind at these world-class establishments. The festival offers several hotel packages, including lodging and event tickets right on their website.
[Photo: Luis Gomez]
9) It encourages education and sustainability in South Florida’s fragile ecosystem.
South Florida is one of the most fragile, ecologically sensitive, and environmentally significant regions in the world. Miami Beach Pop Festival is committed to working collaboratively with the City of Miami Beach to offer a range of programs and eco-conscious practices through EcOasis to provide attendees with the knowledge and tools they need to embrace a more eco-friendly lifestyle and care for different aspects of the environment.
Aiming to eliminate single-use plastic, the festival will sell only canned water that attendees can then recycle and reduce plastic water-bottle use and caps on the grounds. The festival will also provide a reusable cup rental program by r.Cup and feature free water refill stations. Being a member of the BYOBottle campaign, an initiative led by headliner Jack Johnson, the festival encourages attendees and artists alike to bring reusable water bottles to completely eliminate plastic waste.
Additionally, all food, beverage, and merchandise vendors at the festival will be held accountable by organizers to provide only recyclable or biodegradable utensils and related items to its customers. Miami Beach Pop festival is currently in a volunteer partnership with Clean Vibes to activate cleanup efforts on the beach before, during, and after the festival to leave no trace.
If that weren’t enough, Miami Beach Pop festival will donate $1 of every ticket sold to local non-profit organizations that focus on sustainability education and change.
“Miami Beach Pop is a celebration of life. The festival takes place on the sands of the beach. It’s in a big way about basking in the power of the ocean, which of course is the source of life on the planet,” Peck said. “We are committed to being pioneers in sustainable event practices are a pillar of this festival not only how the festival is run and backstage, but also other fun and interactive ways though onsite experiences.”
10) It lets you turn your holiday weekend into a festival vacation.
Miami Beach Pop Festival will take place over Veteran’s Day Weekend, which means many people will have an extra day off on Monday. You can use that day for travel, or to relax and unwind after the fest. Either way, the holiday weekend aspect makes it that much easier for you to plan your trip to Miami Beach as a three-day weekend getaway.
As co-founding partner and CEO Steve Sybesma explains, “This is truly a festival like no other. You can make this your festival vacation – or staycation – in America’s tropical paradise. The beautiful art deco area hotels will be filled with like-minded music fans and festival-goers, who can rediscover Ocean Drive, enjoy a morning swim in the ocean, dine at the many world-class restaurants in Miami Beach, and walk in and out of the festival, just a few steps away.”
3-Day General Admission and 3-Day VIP tickets are currently onsale exclusively on the Miami Beach Pop Festival website. Below, you can enter to win two, three-day passes to Miami Beach Pop Festival.
