The 9th Suwannee Roots Revival will take place October 9 – 12, 2025 at the Spirit of Swwannee Music Park in Live Oak Florida.  Headliners include Oteil & Friends, Yonder Mountain String Band, Donna the Buffalo, Peter Rowan, Jim Lauderdale & many more.

Preview by Andy Hall

Festy GoNuts is excited to travel, for the very first time, to the legendary Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida! We’ll be covering the 9th Suwannee Roots Revival, taking place from Thursday, October 9 to Sunday, October 12, which will feature four days and nights of performances by some of the best in American roots music. In addition, there will be artist workshops, activities for children, arts and crafts, offerings of daily yoga, and, of course … campground pickin’.

This year’s lineup spotlights Friday night headliners Oteil & Friends with Melvin Seals, Steve Kimock, Jason Crosby, Johnny Kimock, Tom Guarna, and Lamar Williams, Jr., and on Thursday, Yonder Mountain String Band. Saturday night includes Peter Rowan’s Swamp Dwellers Jam, with Tara Nevins, Jeb Puryear, and Jeff Mosier. Donna the Buffalo, who will be performing all four days, will close out the festival with their longstanding and treasured final Sunday set.

Nestled in 800 acres of oak and cypress trees draped with Spanish moss along the fabled Suwannee River, the festival has always been about keeping the music true to where it all began — where roots run deep. Randy and Beth Judy, who first brought the event to fruition in 1997, say they are excited to return after having to cancel last year’s event due to damage from Hurricane Helene.

“My festive heart is in serious need of some Suwannee family love!” says Beth Judy. “After missing last year, the Roots festival team can’t wait to make it all happen for us once again.

“I’m thrilled with this lineup and always love when Oteil can join us! He has a long history of playing at the park, going way back to early MagnoliaFest days. … He always leaves us with a stellar performance and a reminder that once you join our festival family, you are always home here.”

With many acts playing multiple times, music will be staged in a variety of areas, including the Big Cosmo’s Amphitheater, The Tent, Music Hall, and the Music Farmers Stage at The Back Porch — a new area that debuted at Roots’s sister festival, Suwannee Spring Reunion. The stage, which has been called a “VIP area for everyone,” will be open from the start of the music until the end of each night’s performances, providing plenty of seating options for relaxation near the Vending Village, with live video feeds from Big Cosmo’s Amphitheater.

The festival’s nonprofit arm, Live Oak Music and Arts Foundation (LOMAF), will hold a raffle onsite with a variety of prizes donated by festival merchants. Proceeds from the raffle will support music and arts programs in North Florida schools — including the Suwannee Spirit Kids Music Camp.

The Vendor Village will showcase a wide selection of arts and crafts, as well as food and beverage options from healthy to decadent. The park also offers guest comforts including a general store, a full-service restaurant, free showers, indoor bathrooms, and water stations.

The multi-day weekend ticket includes admission Thursday through Sunday with primitive camping each night. Single-day tickets, as well as military and student discounts, are also available. Children 12 and under are free if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Visit suwanneerootsrevival.com/tickets for tickets.

The daily schedule is accessible here: www.suwanneerootsrevival.com/schedule.

And if you can’t make it, stay tuned in with Festy GoNut’s live festival coverage!