Luke Combs closes out Day 3 of the 2025 Tortuga Festival.

by Dave Parsons

The two previous days of the 2025 Tortuga Festival only seemed to be a warmup, as the crowd gathering outside the gate was recharged and ready to go by noon on Sunday, April 6.  They all had learned how to pace themselves, eat and stay hydrated, and have a plan in mind of which area they are racing to, as soon as the gates open.

The Tortuga Festival gave folks plenty to choose from.  Besides the three stages of music, there was one last trip to all of the experiences and information booths.  The interactive exhibits, like the Conservation Village, the Rock the Ocean Foundation exhibits, and the photo ops with the huge pirate ship. 

The final day of Tortuga 2025 was headlined by Luke Combs.  One of the biggest stars in country music today, Combs walked out in his usual black T-shirt, jeans, and baseball cap. His straightforward country songs and his humble banter between songs won the crowd instantly.  The excitement and energy never let down the entire 90-minute set, bringing a great close to the weekend.

Cody Jinks played his usual brand of stone-cold country in the set before Combs. As he ripped through a set full of songs, it was like hanging out with an old friend. Jinks and his band share leads and a harmony that is hard to miss, and Jinks interacted with the crowd, sharing stories between songs. His down-to-earth demeanor struck a chord with the audience and was testimony why he is one of the most booked country acts on the road today.

In another diversion away from country music, alternative artist Yelawolf rapped along to the tracks his DJ played.  He gets props for staging, from the inflatable trailer that served as an elevated DJ booth, to his entrance in a wheelchair before throwing his drink at the crowd, he demanded and grabbed attention from the outset.  Despite most of the crowd just watching and not engaging with the songs, they seemed to be appreciative of what he was offering them.

Country newcomer Corey Kent had the crowd fired up for a great set of traditional country as soon as he took the stage. Kent walked through his set list with ease, taking the time to address the crowd more than once, and engaging with the faithful down front who were providing energy and instant feedback to his performance.

Bumpin Uglies brought their Reggae rock band vibes to the Sunset stage on Sunday afternoon.  Billed as a band that plays songs about good vibes and the beach, with meaningful lyrics, they delivered just that as the mid-afternoon crowd got into their sound from the first note. For being a band that most had never seen before, the Bumpin Uglies made a lot of new fans during their set and cemented themselves as an act that every festival that just wants a fun band needs to have.

Even before country legend Rodney Atkins took the main stage, you knew you were in for something special.  His band kicked into an incredibly tight upbeat country rhythm, building up to the minute Atkins took the stage.  Most acts don’t do this anymore, and it takes away from the anticipation. Atkins has a very relaxed stage presence, launching from one of his country hits into the next, and taking the audience along as a group of old friends. By the time his show was over, it felt like the end of a family reunion, and most of them couldn’t wait for the next time they would be together again.

Country band Restless Road started the last day of entertainment on the Sunset stage, giving an exciting set of country harmonies and thoughtful lyrics. They have a following of over 5 million on their social media platforms, and it was evident as those who were there early came to see them and sing and dance along to their set.

Caylee Hammack got the final day started on the main stage.  It was evident that she and her band had a great time performing.  Her songs were loaded with great lyrics and made for a delightful way to kick off Sunday.

The last day of the Next from Nashville Stage was loaded with great music from up-and-coming acts including Thomas Edwards, Noah Hicks, Lanie Gardner, Kashus Culpepper and Lauren Watkins.  It will only be a matter of a few years before these acts will be on the large beachfront stage at Tortuga. 

The last day of the Tortuga Festival wrapped up with over 30 artists’ performances, in a picture-perfect weekend on the beach, that people will remember and talk about for years to come.

Disclaimer:  It is impossible, because of overlapping set times on stages 200 yards apart, to photograph and review every act at the festival.  I photographed as many as possible each day.