BOTH ARE NOW CHARGED AS ADULTS AND BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND TO OKEECHOBEE COUNTY. NOW, WHERE RIGHT NOW THE OKEECHOBEE MUSIC FESTIVAL IS IN FULL SWING WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS MAKING THEIR WAY INTO TOWN. CALEB CALIFANO SPOKE WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS ABOUT HOW THEY’RE HANDLING THE MASSIVE INFLUX AND THEIR EXPECTATIONS THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEKEND. HONESTLY, IT REALLY WASN’T EXPECTING, YOU KNOW. BUT THEN AGAIN, THE MUSIC FESTIVAL IS SO BIG. GABRIEL GONZALEZ LIVES RIGHT OFF OF NORTHEAST 144TH STREET IN OKEECHOBEE COUNTY. THE SAME ROAD WHICH LEADS TO THE ENTRANCE OF OKEECHOBEE MUSIC FESTIVAL THURSDAY. THIS ROAD WAS PACKED WITH PEOPLE HEADED TO THE FESTIVAL WITH LINES TO GET IN, BACKING UP FOR HOURS FOR GONZALEZ. HE TELLS ME HE WAS JUST TRYING TO GET HOME. HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO GET BACK HOME? YESTERDAY? I THINK IT WILL BE. I THINK IT WAS LIKE PROBABLY LIKE ALMOST LIKE AN HOUR AND A HALF AROUND THERE. THE FOUR DAY FESTIVAL BRINGS IN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND ANYONE DRIVING IN OR OUT THIS WEEKEND WILL SEE SIGNS JUST LIKE THIS ONE. IT’S ONLY, YOU KNOW, 3 OR 4 DAYS A YEAR. SO, YOU KNOW, I CAN I CAN LIVE WITH THE INCONVENIENCE FOR 3 OR 4 DAYS. MARK GOODBRED OWNS A HOME IN A LOCAL STORAGE FACILITY DOWN THE ROAD FROM THE FESTIVAL HALL. TOOK HIM QUITE A BIT OF TIME TO GET HOME THURSDAY AS WELL. HE TELLS ME HE DIDN’T MIND IT AND IS HOPEFUL THE FESTIVAL BRINGS IN MORE EYES AND BUSINESSES TO THE COUNTY, SOMETHING GONZALEZ SAYS HE AGREES WITH. I THINK IT’S GOOD ALL AROUND. THERE’S SOME THERE’S SOME BAD POINTS, BUT THERE’S ALSO A LOT OF GOOD THAT HAPPENS. SO ALL IN ALL, I THINK IT’S GOOD. I GUESS OKEECHOBEE SLOWLY GOING ON THE MAP AND
Okeechobee residents adapt as thousand come for music festival
The Okeechobee Music Festival is underway, bringing tens of thousands of visitors to the area and prompting local residents to adapt to the massive influx. Gabriel Gonzalez, who lives near the festival entrance on Northeast 144th Street, shared his experience of navigating the crowded roads.”Honestly, I really wasn’t expecting it, you know. But then again, the music festival was so big,” Gonzalez said.On Thursday, the road leading to the festival was packed with people, causing lines to back up for hours. Gonzalez said his trip home saying it took around an hour and a half longer than normal.Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 NewsThe four-day festival attracts tens of thousands of people from across the county, and signs are visible on every corner for those driving in or out this weekend. Local business owner Mark Goodbread, who owns a home and a storage facility near the festival, expressed his willingness to endure the inconvenience. “It’s only, you know, three or four days a year. So, you know, I can live with inconvenience for three or four days,” Goodbread said.Despite the traffic challenges, Goodbread is hopeful that the festival will bring more attention and business to the county. Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.”I think it’s good all around, but there’s some. There’s some bad points, but there’s also a lot of good that happens. So, all in all, I think it’s good,” he said.
The Okeechobee Music Festival is underway, bringing tens of thousands of visitors to the area and prompting local residents to adapt to the massive influx.
Gabriel Gonzalez, who lives near the festival entrance on Northeast 144th Street, shared his experience of navigating the crowded roads.
“Honestly, I really wasn’t expecting it, you know. But then again, the music festival was so big,” Gonzalez said.
On Thursday, the road leading to the festival was packed with people, causing lines to back up for hours. Gonzalez said his trip home saying it took around an hour and a half longer than normal.
Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News
The four-day festival attracts tens of thousands of people from across the county, and signs are visible on every corner for those driving in or out this weekend.
Local business owner Mark Goodbread, who owns a home and a storage facility near the festival, expressed his willingness to endure the inconvenience.
“It’s only, you know, three or four days a year. So, you know, I can live with inconvenience for three or four days,” Goodbread said.
Despite the traffic challenges, Goodbread is hopeful that the festival will bring more attention and business to the county.
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
“I think it’s good all around, but there’s some. There’s some bad points, but there’s also a lot of good that happens. So, all in all, I think it’s good,” he said.