OKEECHOBEE- Festivalgoers looking forward to attending the Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival next year will have to wait a little longer. 

The OMF organizers posted an update on the festival's social media on Sept. 26 announcing that they have decided to take some extra time to deliver a better experience. 

“While we had initially planned to return in 2025,” read the statement, “we have decided that some extra time will allow us to deliver a better festival experience - an experience that honors our purpose of bringing people together to create lasting memories and friendships.” 

“Rest assured, we, the Okee OG's, are working hard behind the scenes to curate a colorful lineup that blends nostalgic favorites with emerging artists, crafting unique experiences that fully immerse you in the spirit of Okeechobee.” 

The news comes after OMF took a year off in 2024, in what organizers called a “fallow year”, with plans to bring it back stronger, better. With the most recent announcement, those plans will take a little longer. 

The first Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival was held March 4-6, 2016, produced by Soundslinger. The festival was originally planned for 2015, but organizers delayed it a year in order to have the time to make it really special. The first-year lineup included Mumford & Sons, Kendrick Lamar, Robert Plant, Odesza, Skrillez, Bassnectar, Hall & Oates and the Avett Brothers as well as Preservation Hall Jazz Band. 

Annual events followed in 2017 and 2018. In November 2018, it was announced the festival would go on “hiatus.” OMF returned in 2020, now partnered with Insomniac, the organizers of Electric Daisy Carnival. The 2020 OMF was the last big music festival of the year before large public events were shut down due to the covid pandemic. 

OMF returned in 2022. The festival was held March 3-6, 2022. In 2023, the festival was held March 2-5.