The 5th Annual South Florida Ukulele Fest 2016 will feature local, national and international ukulele artists and teachers to celebrate all things ukulele. Presented by F.U.N. Florida Ukulele Network, a group of 500+ ukulele players in South Florida with additional groups all around Florida, the South Florida Ukulele Fest 2016 will be held March in Fort Lauderdale, FL over the weekend of March 18-19-20th. The festival’s focus is on bringing beginning to experienced ukulele players together to play, sing, learn and improve ukulele skills and to listen to top ukulele performers who share their expertise in workshops as well as perform for Festival attendees.
The 2016 Festival kicks off on Friday evening on March 18th at 6 p.m. our Welcome Party and Friday Night JamStand at Two& on Las Olas Blvd where our featured artists will lead attendees in a ukulele play and sing-a-long. This part Open Mic and part Ukulele Jam goes until 10 p.m. with music, food, drinks and raffles for ukuleles and other prizes.
Doors open at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 19th, at ArtServe, festival attendees will focus on learning and improving ukulele skills in a series of skills workshops targeted to players of all skill and experience levels from brand new ukulele players to experienced performers who play in a variety of styles from traditional, country, Americana, Blues, Jazz, Swing, Rock n’ Roll, Pop, Hawaiian and more…the ukulele is able to accommodate all musical styles.
Saturday will also feature our Vendor Village a place for trying out new instruments, music as well as food, drinks and ukulele swag. Saturday’s schedule of workshops will be punctuated with Open Mic performances and group jams throughout the afternoon and into the evening. Our ukulele raffle is also back this year, in which several beautiful instruments and other desirable prizes will be awarded to lucky attendees.
At 6:30 p.m. we will bring our featured festival performers and Saturday workshop teachers including Ukester Brown (MN), Frets Halligan (ME), Mapuana Ebbit (HI/FL), Jay Nunes (Tampa) Penny Hoffman (FL) and Austin Raffipiy (FL) together for a concert and jam until 10 p.m. led by the F.U.N. Artistic Director, Ty Olopai, founder of the South Florida Ukulele Festival.
The FUN starts all over again with our Ukulele Brunch on Sunday morning on Fort Lauderdale beach at Bahia Cabana with a ukulele skills workshop, brunch and jam on the beach followed on Sunday evening with the grand finale concert at Parker Playhouse at 6 p.m. the world famous Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra all the way from New Zealand. Festival attendees will attend an exclusive pre-show talk and meet & greet with the Orchestra.
All Access Pass Tickets for the 3-day South Florida Ukulele Fest 2016 are now on sale starting at $139 for you and your guests and can be purchased at http://www.SouthFloridaUkuleleFest.com.
Everyone is invited to bring your ukulele (or buy one at the Festival) and join in on the Music, Workshops, Group Jams, Open Mic and Concert performances, as well as the good food and drinks and F.U.N. with fellow ukulele friends and the ukulele curious. Come and strum with us!