Early Bird Tickets on Sale for the 2025 Sand & Strings Music Festival
By Charlie Higgins
Truth be told, I had never organized or promoted anything as substantial as the first Sand & Strings Music Festival in April 2024. For me, that two-day event held at Frente al Punto Beach Club was a massive undertaking that brought together 24 artists—most of them from the U.S. and Canada—who needed to be transported, housed and fed. I had to coordinate with vendors, sponsor reps, municipal authorities, security and safety personnel, and oh so much more, all while juggling heavy work demands (I am a very active performer myself and a high school teacher) and commitments to my family, which features a still very rambunctious toddler.
When April finally rolled around, tensions and stress were high. I was bombarded with emails and WhatsApp messages, and there were dozens of important milestones and deadlines to meet. Nonetheless, all of that hard work paid off when, on April 5 th , the best weekend of my six years in Mexico kicked off as I proceeded to watch hundreds of friends, family, fellow musicians and my dedicated crew enjoy two days of musical bliss in one of the most beautiful and vibrant beach towns in the world, Sayulita. I am eternally grateful to the artists, who gave knock-out performances across the board. The reviews were better than I could have possibly imagined: my friend Lorn Dittfeld who was in attendance said, word for word, “It’s not that there was a single band that I didn’t enjoy; there wasn’t a single song I didn’t enjoy!”
I could go on and on about just how amazing the first festival turned out, despite the many hiccups along the road. But now it’s time to talk about the second edition of Sand & Strings Music Festival which is indeed happening March 15-16, 2025 at the Estadio de Beisbol, home of Los Jaibos de Sayulita. As we transition from a micro festival to a small—or potentially medium-sized—festival, I am happy to say that we’ve found the perfect venue to accommodate more attendees, expand our positive economic and cultural impact on the town and the region, and create another joyful, memorable experience for everyone involved. Our mission of promoting a celebration of culture, community, and sustainability remains firm, and we are excited to collaborate in the development of Los Jaibitos, the inspiring Little League organization run by Los Jaibos, through this initiative. We will again be partnering with Azul Sayu to help control and minimize waste so the kids can enjoy a pristine field during their next practice.
Then there’s the music. With one successful festival under our belt, finding artists who want to participate (and enjoy an all-expenses-paid vacation in Mexico!) has proven to be much easier this year. We have some returning favorites—California bluegrass studs The Brothers Comatose; Bay Area glam-Americana heroes Whiskerman; Colorado’s sunny folk jammers The Sweet Lillies. But we’ve also locked in another exceptional Bay Area band that Rolling Stone says “evokes the greasy rumble of Booker T and channel the spiritual ecstasy of Sly and the Family Stone”: The California Honeydrops! We are also extremely excited to welcome El Kanka, one of Spain’s most beloved singer-songwriters with flamenco chops to spare; Los Rumberos, a charismatic Latin duo that recently sold out Mexico City’s prestigious Teatro Metropólitan; Paté de Fuá, a spectacular blend of jazz, tango, musette, and Dixieland 20 years in the making, among many other unique talents from across our beautiful continent.
We’ll be sharing a lot more information about the next Sand & Strings Music Festival in the coming weeks—such as exclusive hotel packages, our carefully vetted food vendors (it’s hard to go wrong in Mexico, to be honest) and holiday discounts—but for now, I strongly encourage you to head to www.sandandstringsfest.com to purchase your Early Bird tickets. When you buy your tickets right now, you’re not only securing your spot; you’re also helping us meet all of our deadlines and milestones so we can continue to organize this very special event for many years to come. We appreciate the support of each and every one of you—from Sayulita and beyond—in helping to make this dream happen once again. See you in March!
