By Charlie Higgins
Over the past three years, Frente al Punto Beach Club has become a favorite spot among expats, locals and visitors to hear live music in Sayulita. This is particularly true on Sunday evenings, when my group, Charlie Higgins & Sunset Station, draws a regular crowd of music-lovers each week with our evolving blend of Americana, soul and indie folk. I sincerely look forward to watching our audience—comprised of happy-go-lucky kids, laid back baby boomers, surprised tourists, scruffy surfers and everyone in between—listen attentively to our original songs, belt out the lyrics to their favorite covers and dance when the mood strikes them, all while watching the sun set over the Pacific Ocean with silhouettes of mature palm trees contrasting against the technicolor sky. For me, it’s the kind of paradise I could have only dreamed of.
The idea of hosting a music festival in this very same magical setting has really been on my mind since we filmed our first music video for our song “Tale of a Lost Gringo” in May 2021. We invited all of our friends, family and fans to partake in a live filming of the song I had written a few months before about a gringo who leaves the Bay Area in search of an escape from the hustle of the city and eventually ends up in a town called Sayulita (for better or worse!). Frente, as it’s commonly referred to, was just beaming with light and smiling faces as far as the eye could see. The weather was perfect, and we played on through the evening well past our normal curfew. I knew that very same night that this was the perfect place, the perfect vibe, for a small music festival.
That crazy idea, which I’ve dubbed Sand & Strings Music Festival, is finally coming to fruition. After months of emails, phone calls and WhatsApp voice notes with booking agents from L.A. to Nashville, we have a confirmed lineup of incredible talent chosen from North America’s thriving Americana, blues, roots, indie folk and bluegrass scenes. The festival, which will take place the weekend of April 5-6, 2024, will feature a main stage on the beach facing the lawn at Frente and a small stage on the opposite end of the gorgeous property, nestled in among the trees.
In addition to 24 incredible musical artists, attendees will enjoy delicious local cuisine served up by our food-truck style vendors. VIP ticket holders will be seated under Frente’s iconic palapa, where they can order directly from the world-class kitchen and bar. This all-ages event is envisioned with youngsters in mind, and there will even be a kids area with arts & crafts activities lead by local teachers. We are also doing everything in our power to build an eco-friendly, sustainable festival by using reusable/biodegradable materials wherever possible and donating a portion of the proceeds to a local environmental organization.
I invite you to experience what I know will be an incredible weekend full of music and positivity in a place that has become like a second home to me and that I want to share with the greater Sayulita community, the people of Bahia de Banderas and beyond.
You can purchase a limited number of Early Bird tickets now until December 31st at the festival website sandandstringsfest.com, where you’ll find artist bios, performance schedule, sponsor information and more. Make sure to follow @sandandstringsfest on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. There’s lots more exciting news on the horizon!
www.sandandstringsfest.com
Sand & Strings Festival
April 5-6, 2024
Frente al Punto Beach Club
lineup:
The Brothers Comatose
Rayland Baxter
The Franklin Electric
The Mother Hips
Gran Sur
T Sisters
Whiskerman
Handmade Moments
Vera Pedro
Willie Tea Taylor
Dead Horses
The Lowest Pair
The Sweet Lillies
Holy Hannah
Anna Katarina
Charlie Higgins & Sunset Station
Adam Spry
Genaro Palacios & Bad boy blues
Lola Cobach
Fede Petro
special guest
Bertha
