WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Palm Tree Music Festival made its West Palm Beach debut Saturday night, drawing thousands of visitors to downtown and providing a significant boost to local businesses.
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The one-day festival attracted travelers from across the country, including Sydney Chilewich from Manhattan and Lisa and Alfie Hernandez from Southern California.
"When Palm Tree Crew announced they were coming to Palm Beach, we were like, how can we not be here," Chilewich said. "It's Palm Tree Crew in Palm Beach."
The Hernandez couple, frequent festival attendees, came specifically to see headliner Sofi Tukker. Beyond the music, they used the trip to explore the area's attractions.
"We went to Butterfly World and we're staying at an Airbnb (in Loxahatchee) that is like in the fruits and vegetables and farmland," Lisa Hernandez said. "It's gorgeous."
The Palm Tree Music Festival featured major electronic music acts, including headliners Calvin Harris and Kygo. The festival has previously been hosted in upscale destinations like Aspen and the Hamptons in New York. Organizers believe the Palm Beaches fit that same mold.
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Local businesses celebrated the influx of visitors.
"We're excited because we haven't had such busy days since the holiday season," said Cristian Felix, an employee at Skinny Louie.
The festival's impact extends beyond a single day. Simi Fingerer, a bartender at E.R. Bradley's Saloon, said the event brought a full weekend of strong business.
"This is probably one of the better things that West Palm has done for the community and all the bartenders, all the restaurants here," Fingerer said. “A lot of people have never been here before and they’re discovering like Bradley’s, Clematis, like just all around West Palm so I mean it’s really good for us.”
New data shows large-scale events like the Palm Tree Music Festival helped push tourism in Palm Beach County to a record high in 2025.
Both businesses and festival attendees alike hope the event becomes an annual tradition, bringing continued music, visitors and economic impact to downtown West Palm Beach.
"It's a palm tree festival, what better place to be on Valentine's Day," Chilewich said.
Portions of this story were assisted by artificial intelligence tools and reviewed by a WPTV journalist to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to editorial standards.
