Night Moves Music Fest returns to Foo Foo Fest this year, bringing a single day packed with live music, art, food, and community to Maritime Park in downtown Pensacola. This event promises the festival’s most ambitious lineup yet, headlined by Japanese Breakfast, Dashboard Confessional, and Joyce Manor.
From its beginning, Night Moves has been about more than just the music—it’s about creating a space where national touring acts share the stage with Pensacola’s own, while food, art, and atmosphere round out the experience. “This is year three, and we’re really excited about it,” says Night Moves’ Founder Robert Goodspeed. “We had a great level of growth from year one to two, so we wanted to roll over all that growth into this year and come up with a bigger lineup. Even though it’s fewer bands, we’re allowing for more time for sets so the crowd gets the best experience.”
That attention to detail is part of what makes Night Moves stand out. This year, the festival brings in Japanese Breakfast, the indie rock sensation led by Michelle Zauner, whose bestselling memoir Crying in H Mart has connected with fans as deeply as her music. It will mark the band’s first Florida show since before the pandemic. Alongside them, Dashboard Confessional will bring their anthemic emo-pop classics—songs like Vindicated, made famous on the Spider-Man 2 soundtrack, that defined a generation. Add to that the raw energy of Joyce Manor, rising acts like Origami Angel and Wishy, and the soulful homegrown sound of Pensacola’s Ben Loftin and the Family, Ego Death, and Katie Dineen, and the result is a lineup that spans genres and generations.
While music is the heartbeat of Night Moves, the annual festival also makes space for community. Festivalgoers can expect multiple food trucks serving everything from coffee to desserts, along with a wide range of beverages. A vendor village will showcase vintage finds, art, crafts, and other goods, while art installations from the University of West Florida bring another layer of creativity to the experience. “We exist all year long to make sure musicians and artists and their communities have a place to express themselves,” Robert says. “But this event puts them in front of such a larger audience. Without Foo Foo Fest, we couldn’t showcase all of these local artists.”
The timing of the festival is intentional, too. Running later in the day, Night Moves leaves room for attendees to catch the Blue Angels air show earlier—an essential part of Pensacola’s cultural fabric. “We wanted to make sure people didn’t have to choose,” Robert adds. “They can do that and then come here.”
General admission tickets are $75, while VIP tickets ($175) offer a shaded lounge area, exclusive drink options, a swag bag, and a dedicated viewing space closer to the stage. Tickets are available now at nightmovesfest.com.