Florida
The Florida Groves Music Festival is this weekend. Can you still purchase tickets?
Florida NI90: Delta IV Heavy, Naples property and Disney cabins: PBRE
USA Today Florida Network’s Rob Landers brings you some of today’s top stories from across the state.
Looking for something to do this weekend? Or want to discover some new artists to add to your playlists?
The Florida Groves Music Festival is returning for its third year in the heart of Orlando, seeing live performances from both established and emerging artists.
Known for its energetic vibe, the festival will have multiple stages set up, as well as continuous entertainment throughout the day and into the night. Sounds like a good time to you? Here’s what to know.
What is the Florida Groves Music Festival?
The Florida Groves Music Festival is a music, art and cannabis festival that takes place over two days in Orlando.
In a prior press release, festival organizers said they seek to create a celebration that “blends cultures, communities, and artistic diversity for a one-of-a-kind experience at the scenic Lawne Lake, just a 10-minute drive from Downtown Orlando.”
When and where is the Florida Groves Festival?
The Florida Groves Music Festival will take place on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14 at the Central Florida Fairgrounds.
Doors for both dates open at 1 p.m., with Saturday’s events wrapping up at 10 p.m. and Sunday’s ending around 11 p.m.
Can I still buy tickets to the Florida Grove Festival in Orlando?
According to the website, you can still purchase tickets for the festival, including:
- Multi-day passes – $119 plus tax
- Single Day passes – $79 plus tax
- VIP Booths – $1,400 plus tax
You can also head to the box office on the day of the festival to upgrade or purchase additional tickets.
What is the lineup for the Florida Groves Festival?
This year’s lineup features several new genres while uniting artists from across the globe. Officials said headliners, German duo Milky Chance and the soulful Michael Franti & Spearhead, promise a “fusion of funk, rock, reggae and electronic vibes.”
Other acts, including Tribal Seeds, Atmosphere, Two Feet, Boogie T.Rio, Manic Focus, The Elovaters, 53 Thieves, Passafire, Shwayze, Tropidelic, Cas Haley, and numerous other reggae, jazz, and funk artists will grace the stages, ensuring a rich and unforgettable musical experience for all attendees.
The festival venue offers a unique setting with a massive main stage overlooking the lake, and a second stage that has moved to a shaded pavilion for added comfort.
What other events and activities are at the Florida Groves Music Festival?
Florida Groves Music Festival will have several live art installations to view and the East Coast’s largest on-site glass-blowing demonstration.
“We stand firmly upon three pillars: Music, Art, and Freedom. Our mission is to create a seamless fusion of these pillars, creating an annual celebration that pulses with the rhythm of diverse melodies, showcases the brilliance of artistic expression and innovation, and champions the essence of freedom in all its forms,” said the festival organizers.
Other festival highlights include a tattoo convention with 25+ artists, a skateboarding infusion in the Skate Grove, pickleball courts, a cannabis convention, and eco-conscious partnerships to minimize the festival’s ecological footprint.
What items are not allowed?
Before heading through the gates on Saturday or Sunday, make sure to review the list of prohibited items, such as:
- Duffle Bags of any size
- Outside food or beverage item
- Alcohol, flasks, outside cans or cups
- Coolers, ice or ice packs
- Bottles, cans, canteens, flasks, or coolers
- Illegal substances, drugs, or drug paraphernalia
- Weapons of any kind including, but not limited to, pocket knives and self-defense sprays
- Weapon accessories of any kind, real or fictional
- Animals or pets
- Flammable lanterns, fireworks or any types of explosives
- Skateboards, scooters, or personalized motor vehicles
- Tents, canopies, umbrellas, chairs
- Professional photo, video, or audio recording equipment
To see a full list of the prohibited items, check here.
Can I park at the Florida Groves Festival?
Parking is free on Friday, while the other two dates will have parking available from the venue for $20. Ride-share and Transportation Apps are welcome to drop attendees off.
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Brevard County couple gets married in NICU after birth of premature twins
A Florida couple, told they may not be able to have children, welcomed premature twins and had an impromptu NICU wedding.
Provided by AdventHealth for Children
Ben and Danielle Cassidy were told they likely wouldn’t be able to have children.
But this year they will celebrate Mother’s Day just months after having an impromptu wedding in the AdventHealth for Children hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit shortly after Danielle gave birth to twins prematurely — a week before the Palm Bay couple was scheduled to get married.
Both babies, Joshua and Rhett, are doing well despite arriving nine weeks ahead of schedule on Jan. 19, 2026, just one day after their scheduled baby shower. With a proper wedding out of the question with two premature babies in the NICU, a nurse took action.
Issabel Kenkel, the nurse behind the ceremony, said she was already in wedding planning mode for her own upcoming nuptials when she found out the Cassidy family’s ceremony would be interrupted.
“I couldn’t just let them do something small. They needed decorations and something fun, so I spoke to the music therapist and the chaplain,” Kenkel said. In short order, a wedding was being planned for their hospital room and the couple was saying their vows in the company of their safely delivered newborns.
“When we found out we could request staff members to be on our team, that’s when we requested Issabel and having that kind of consistency from someone who has such a big heart and is so kind,” Danielle said.
The hospital ceremony was all the more special because of the Cassidy family’s own health struggles.
“I have five autoimmune diseases and didn’t really think I would have kids. It’s been a rough journey. When Ben and I met, we were floored at how much a miracle it was to have kids,” Danielle said.
Ben, who battled and beat cancer, said he was worried that his prior treatment would result in negative health outcomes for his future children. Having twins for him was an unexpected blessing.
“When we found out we were pregnant, we found it so shocking. We said, wouldn’t it be great if it was twins? It filled out our hopes and dreams list,” Ben said. “They’ve been miracles for sure.”
The Cassidy couple said there was so much fear and uncertainty when their twins were born nine weeks early. Being able to get married right away just made them feel all the better about the future.
“It was nice getting married because we didn’t have to wait any longer to make it official. It made it that much harder for her to get rid of me,” Ben said.
“The unknown made it scary,” Danielle added. “We had no idea how long we would be in the hospital. Our wedding was going to be at the beach with immediate family and parents. Having NICU babies, we realized we’d never be able to get to the beach. It was really special having the people who care for our babies be part of the ceremony.”
The couple hadn’t even planned to have a band at their wedding ceremony and now the hospital’s music therapist was performing live for them and the chaplain was conducting the ceremony, something nurse Kenkel said was just part of her job.
“The babies are going to have the best outcomes if the families are taken care of and going home happy,” she said. “Being in the NICU is already so stressful. This is just one more thing I could do to take care of my patients.”
Tyler Vazquez is the Growth and Development Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Vazquez at 321-480-0854 or tvazquez@floridatoday.com. X: @tyler_vazquez.
The Vero Beach Police Department took a man into custody May 8 in connection with a threatening phone call directed toward a business.
The agency received information at 5:21 p.m. May 7 about a threatening call to Thrive IRC Inc. at 2300 5th Ave. in Vero Beach, according to a news release. The call included someone threatening to come to the business with an AK rifle and “light the building up.”
Detectives began investigating the threat and identified Michael Sean O’Brien, 27, of Vero Beach, as the person associated with the phone number used during the call.
O’Brien was taken into custody at about 3:30 p.m. May 8 without incident. He was charged with the false report concerning the use of firearms in a violent manner, which is a second degree felony, according to the news release.
O’Brien was booked in the Indian River County Jail at 6:13 p.m. May 8 but was released at 1:36 p.m. May 9 after posting the $5,000 bond, according to the jail website.
No additional information was available the afternoon of May 9.
Olivia Franklin is TCPalm’s trending reporter. You can contact her at olivia.franklin@tcpalm.com, 317-627-8048 or follow her on X @Livvvvv_5.
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