Okeechobee Goes On Hiatus Again, 6 Months After Festival's Return

Okeechobee is going dark again.Six months after returning from a two-year hiatus, the beloved Florida festival’s organizers announced this week that they are taking time to “reimagine and rework” the event.

Soundslinger, which produces Okeechobee and describes its team as fully independent, pointed to rising costs across talent and production in a statement shared on social media.“It can be unforgiving, especially for independent promoters without the resources that large, multi-event companies have access to,” the post reads.

Speaking with EDM.com in February, Soundslinger founder Julio Santo Domingo said his team had been navigating inflationary pressures.“I think [fans are] craving value in where they’re spending their money,” Rechulski said in the sweeping interview.

“It’s not a secret that the price of everything has gone up and fans feel it.We feel it.” Held in March at Sunshine Grove, the last event drew an estimated 30,000 people and headliners included FISHER, GRiZ, LCD Soundsystem, Cage the Elephant, T-Pain and The Lumineers.

Okeechobee has now staged seven editions since its debut, sitting out 2019, 2021, 2024 and 2025.Organizers insist the next edition will remain “Okee at its core,” with camping, multi-genre acts, immersive art and wellness programming, and that Sunshine Grove “isn’t going anywhere.” Scroll to continue more from edm Universal and Sony File Another Copyright Lawsuit Against Suno It’s the latest festival to step back in a difficult 2026 for the circuit.

Nashville’s Deep Tropics canceled its Labor Day Weekend edition, citing “extreme circumstances and funding that didn’t come together,” while Illinois’ Summer Camp Music Festival called off its 25th anniversary edition in May, less than two weeks out.You can read Okeechobee’s full statement below.

It does not announce an expected return date.Follow Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival: ...