Entertainment
Day 1: Riptide offers good music and a whole lotta fun
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (FNN) – Audacy’s Riptide Music Festival returned to Fort Lauderdale Beach yesterday with a solid lineup of bands you’d expect to see at a festival supported by 104.3 the Shark.
Photo by Matt Wolff / Florida National News
Jack Kays of Cincinnati, fresh off his tour, opened things on the Demesmin & Dover Stage. Little Image, a band from Austin, TX, who met in high school were first to play on the main Riptide Stage.
The Beaches (Canada) brought some girl power with their first US Billboard charted single “Blame Brett”. While LoveJoy didn’t rate their performance very high, the crowd was high energy and singing along to “Portrait of a Blank Slate”. Young the Giant (Irvine, CA) had the fans jumping up and down as they closed their set with “My Body”. Bleachers wasted no time as they jumped right in with “I Wanna Get Better”. Jack Antonoff, formerly of fun., was highly engaged with the crowded cracking NJ/Florida jokes, bouncing around, singing all their top songs including the live concert debut of “Modern Girl”. The Black Keys closed out a solid Day 1 of music with their hits “Gold on the Ceiling”, “Little Black Submarine” and “Lonely Boy.
Having been to dozens of music festivals with fans complaining about the crowds, it was a nice change of pace to not have to fight for every inch as the early sets weren’t as heavily attended as in the past. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. For the 2nd time in a row, the main stage was set facing north instead of to the ocean. This gave a lot more room for GA/VIP to hang out.
Aside from a fun day of music, there were a ton of great activations lead by the Ford Beach House. Whether it was the cowboy hat giveaway, DJ/bands playing, a limbo contest for VIP upgrade or a dance contest to Wobble/Dougie/Gangnam Style, the fans were highly entertained during and in-between performances. Twin Peaks Sports Bar was next door showing todays big games and giving away food/drink coupons. Goya (cookies) and Jolly Time (popcorn) provided the snacks, while Celcius and El Bandido Yankee Tequilla offered free beverage samples. If you are a fan of cigars, Al Capone was giving away cigarillos wrapping paper and lighters.
There was no shortage of giveaways including hats, towels, bags, sunglasses, fly swatters/fans. If you like music, the beach and free stuff, Day 1 didn’t disappoint.
Day 1: See more event photos at Florida National News’ Facebook page.
Day 2 offers big names in the alternative rock world, but also has Audacy bringing back a touch of their Chili Cookoff roots with Jelly Roll headlining.
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Matt Wolff is a South Florida reporter for Florida National News. | info@floridanationalnews.com
Central Florida News
Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs Presents ‘HYPE HAIR’ Exhibit by Peppermint Sandy in Downtown Orlando
Entertainment
USF Credit Union Named Presenting Sponsor of ‘Rainbow To Your Door’ With $5,000 Challenge Match Grant
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — The production team behind Rainbow To Your Door announced that USF Credit Union has joined the upcoming theatrical production as its Presenting Sponsor, accompanied by a $5,000 Challenge Match Grant aimed at encouraging community support and helping fully fund the project.
The partnership reflects a shared commitment to arts, education, and community engagement across Central Florida. Organizers say the challenge grant will match community contributions dollar-for-dollar up to $5,000, helping expand public access and educational opportunities connected to the production.
Original Play Celebrates Florida’s Artistic Legacy
Rainbow To Your Door is an original stage production written by Los Angeles-based playwright Kenneth Brown. The play is inspired by the historic friendship and artistic exchange between acclaimed author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston and artist Jules André Smith.
Set in 1938 at the historic Maitland Art Center, the production explores the challenges, triumphs, and purpose of artists navigating a rapidly changing world while preserving their creative voices.
“This partnership represents more than sponsorship. It is an investment in storytelling, culture, and preserving the legacy of artistic voices that helped shape Florida’s creative identity,” Brown said. “We are incredibly grateful to USF Credit Union for believing in this vision and helping us create meaningful community impact through the arts.”
Challenge Match Campaign Aims to Fully Fund Production
As part of the sponsorship, USF Credit Union will provide a $5,000 Challenge Match Grant to encourage community participation and charitable giving. Production organizers say that once the matching goal is reached, Rainbow To Your Door will be fully funded.
Donations generated through the campaign will support expanded accessibility initiatives, educational programming, community outreach, and audience engagement efforts associated with the production.
“USF Credit Union is proud to support initiatives that enrich the communities we serve,” said Rick Skaggs, CEO of USF Credit Union. “Rainbow To Your Door reflects the power of culture, education, and the arts to inspire meaningful conversations and strengthen community connections.”
Production Scheduled for October 2026
Media relations and promotional efforts for the production are being coordinated by Fierce Entertainment.
Rainbow To Your Door is scheduled for Oct. 10–11, 2026, at the Timucua Arts Foundation in Orlando.
Additional information regarding ticket sales, sponsorship opportunities, and the community challenge campaign will be announced in the coming weeks.
Media Contact:
Rob Henlon
Fierce Entertainment
rob@alwaysfierce.com
For sponsorship information and production updates, visit Rainbow To Your Door.
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