SunFest is one of those events that's been a fixture of South Florida for so long that it's easy to take for granted. Most Boca locals have been to at least one. Some go every year. Some haven't been in a decade and keep meaning to go back. This is the year.
SunFest 2026 runs May 1-3 on the West Palm Beach waterfront, and the 43rd edition is shaping up to be one of the strongest lineups in recent memory. If you've been putting it off, this is the weekend.
What SunFest Actually Is
SunFest is an outdoor music festival that takes over the entire West Palm Beach waterfront - roughly a mile-long strip running along Flagler Drive with Intracoastal views the whole way. Multiple stages host national headliners across rock, hip-hop, country, pop, and EDM. The main stage overlooks the water and the fireworks-off-the-Intracoastal ending on Friday night is one of the best live moments in the 561 all year.
It's been running since 1982, making it one of the longest-running music festivals in the state. The crowd skews older than Rolling Loud and younger than Broadway in the Park - a mix of 20-somethings, families, and couples in their 40s who've been coming for 15 years.
The 2026 Dates
- Friday, May 1: Opening night. Best energy, best weather, fireworks.
- Saturday, May 2: Biggest crowd, biggest main-stage names.
- Sunday, May 3: Lighter crowd, easier walking, great for families.
Single-day passes and 3-day passes are available at sunfest.com. VIP tiers include lounge access, faster food lines, and private bathrooms.
How to Get There from Boca
The easy move: Brightline. Park at the Boca station, train up to WPB (about 20 minutes), walk over. You'll skip traffic, skip parking, and be able to actually drink. This is the play.
The car move: Park at CityPlace or a Clematis garage, walk over the bridge. Give yourself 30 extra minutes. Traffic around the waterfront gets real.
The Uber move: Drop zone changes year to year. Check the SunFest website the morning of.
Which Day Should You Go?
If you can only go one day, here's how to pick:
Friday night is the best single-day experience. Opening energy, cooler temps, easier to navigate, fireworks close out the night. If you're 25-40 and going to a festival is a workout commitment, make it Friday.
Saturday is for people who want the biggest names and don't mind the biggest crowds. Main stage lineups usually peak on Saturday. Get there at 4pm to stake a spot.
Sunday is the family move. Lighter crowd, kid-friendly stages, better weather transitions, and the main stage usually wraps earlier. Sunday tickets are the cheapest option.
What to Bring
- Flat shoes - you're walking all day
- Refillable water bottle (empty through the gate, fill inside)
- Cash for food trucks (cards work but lines are faster with cash)
- Sunscreen (reapply)
- Small bag only - clear bags get through security faster
- A hat or visor
- Phone charger battery pack
Food at SunFest
SunFest has a solid food lineup - local Palm Beach County restaurants and food trucks rotate through the festival grounds. Expect tacos, burgers, BBQ, lobster rolls, arepas, and dessert trucks. Prices are festival prices (think $15-25 per plate), but the food quality is genuinely good - this isn't a corn-dog-and-funnel-cake scene.
Eat before 6pm. After 6pm, the lines at every stand quadruple.
The Move
Brightline up, get to the waterfront by 5pm, pick a home base between two stages, eat dinner early, watch the main stage set, and catch the fireworks on Friday. The real skill at SunFest is picking where to post up - the spots near the water with Intracoastal sunset views are first come, first served.
You live in Boca. This is your festival. Go.
Want More Boca?
Subscribe to The 561 Scoop for your weekly guide to the best events, openings, and things to do in Boca Raton.