The beloved Ground Up festival is returning to the North Beach Bandshell this weekend for the fourth year in a row. From February 14-16th, the oceanside festival will take over the Bandshell and the adjacent Palm Grove Park and beach front complex with two alternating stages so that audiences can catch every single performer.

Hosted by three-time Grammy Award Winning music collective Snarky Puppy and in partnership with The Rhythm Foundation, the three-day festival features dozens of musical artists spanning all genres and includes daily performances by Snarky Puppy themselves. Like past years, this year’s performers come from all over the world. Attendees and performers are traveling from over 40 states and 40 countries. Portugal, Brazil, Switzerland, Chile, Greece, and Colombia are just some of the countries being represented—this year with an emphasis on performers hailing from Latin America.

The festival has a capacity of 2,000 people—which is actually intimate for a music festival. Unlike larger festivals, it only takes two minutes to traverse one stage to another. The festival is a celebration of community, diversity, and originality while allowing audiences to get closer to the performers. When they’re not on stage, performers can be found in the audience, enjoying the other musical offerings along with everyone else. The idea is that, even if someone might not know most of the artists on the line up, anyone can show up with an open mind and heart and discover new artists that are making waves in the world of music.

The line up includes iconic singer-songwriter Michael McDonald from The Doobie Brothers performing with Steely Dan, the funk collective Lettuce, and saxophone star Chris Potter. Others include Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, Cécile McLorin Salvant, and the Grammy-nominated, all-female contemporary mariachi group Flor de Toloache amongst many more. GroundUP also partners with organizations that benefit at-risk youth including Guitars Over Guns and Young Musicians Unite and showcasing several young performers with the University of Miami Frost School of Music.

Performances start Friday afternoon and continue until Sunday night. There will be pop-up performances on the beach, hammocks to unwind between performances, and local food and drink offerings. The schedule at the Bandshell is a family-friendly setting until 11:00pm (10:00pm on Sunday) with the option to keep the groove going at The Alexander hotel with special performances going on until 4:00am (11pm-3am on Sunday).

“When we created this festival four years ago, it was our goal to create an optimal experience for artists, audience, and staff, and to curate a musical experience that would inspire and bring together people from across the planet,” says Paul Lehr, festival director and CEO of the newly formed non-profit GroundUP Music Foundation. “Each day begins with a variety of interactive sessions with festival artists in the intimate listening room, sitting next to the beach-bowl, or on the beach itself. This is a chance for you to engage with the musicians away from the stage, and one of the things that we love most about GUMFEST. “

GroundUp is an event that brings a noteworthy amalgamation of musicians and audiences from all over the world, while keeping the setting uniquely imbued with a sense of community and connection between performers and audiences. GroundUp allows the world to experience the vibrant magic of North Beach and allows for locals and residents to take a trip around the world of music without stepping off Miami Beach.

The festival offers a countless array of workshops and events each day and night to bring people to not only interact with the artists, but learn from them. Songwriting classes, talks, drum circles, and guitar clinics are just some of the offerings that are available to those with a festival ticket.

Ticket prices range from $40-$825, depending on whether you want premium access, multiple days, or just nights/special events. Whether you choose to attend the exclusive cocktail hours brunches, and intimate, unplugged performances; or just attend as a general admission, GroundUp has something to offer for every age range, price range, and musical taste. GroundUp Fest is a chance for the community to step out of the routine, enjoy the sunshine, and discover the music.

For more information and to purchase tickets please visit www.groundupmusicfestival.com

And get warmed up for the weekend with the GroundUp Spotify playlist!

GroundUp Music Festival
At the North Beach Bandshell
7275 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33141
February 14th-16th 2020