Fest 411: Okeechobee Returns! Rechulski On The Florida Festival’s Relaunch

Julio Santo Domingo, who prefers to go by his DJ name Rechulski, always knew he wanted to work in music, but it wasn’t until he moved to New York City that he began to make his way into promoting with his company Sheik N’ Beik. Rechulski launched Okeechobee in 2016, produced by live music and real estate company Soundslinger, which he founded in 2015, after a fateful encounter with several promoters at Bonnaroo. 

Following the first two editions, Okeechobee went on hiatus in 2018. The festival returned in 2020 – marking the last major U.S. festival to proceed as planned before the CDC officially recommended the cancellation or postponement of all events for more than 50 people – and then took another hiatus in 2024 and 2025. Now, Rechulski oversees the event, which is set to return to its home in Sunshine Grove in Okeechobee, Florida, March 19 to 22. 

Rechulski grew up in Geneva, Switzerland. The Alpine town best known for skiing and home to numerous international schools has a long history of diplomacy. At age 18, he made his way to the United States, first studying undergrad at Boston University, then to New York City.

“When I got accepted to BU into the School of Management, I hated it,” Rechulski admits. “I transferred to another department, The College of Arts and Science. But I was always into music and at the time it didn’t occur to me to take event organization classes. Besides, to do that for the rest of your life – it’s something that happens by doing it.” 

He spent 10 years throwing weekly parties with Sheik N’ Beik in empty warehouses across New York City. 

“I was ready for something more by-the-book,” he says. “Out of the darkness and into the light. And that’s what this festival was for me.”

The festival went big quickly, its first year featuring Mumford & Sons, Kendrick Lamar and Skrillex as headliners. 

“It propelled us into the big leagues very fast,” Rechulski says. “But then we were stuck in that world. It’s hard to go back and do things organically, booking a lot of the middle card and under card, which we’re doing now.” 

For the festival’s 2026 edition, Okeechobee headliners include Cage The Elephant, Dirty Heads, Knock2, GRiZ, T-Pain, Fisher, LCD Soundsystem and The Lumineers. 

The festival announced in spring 2025 that the event would be returning to the meadowlands of Sunshine Grove. The tropical location – not too far from Miami – features jungles, lakes and waterways, providing a stunning backdrop for its festival stages. On the festival’s website, organizers make sure to note that wildlife will sometimes pass through the space, emphasizing that fans should keep conservation efforts in mind to help preserve the natural habitat. “By participating in our festival, you are not only enjoying a weekend of incredible music, but also contributing to the ongoing protection and appreciation of the remarkable wildlife that calls this land home,” the festival’s site says. 

This time around, Okeechobee and Soundslinger are doing everything in-house. It goes back to their roots, and is reminiscent of the festival’s first three years of operation. 

“I thrive on having creative and operational control,” Rechulski says. The undercard is what he’s most excited about, with a slew of reggae acts featuring Nyabinghi drumming as part of the opening ceremony of the Aquachobee Dub Reggae Takeover (as well as Sister Nancy). Rechulski DJ’d reggae music when he was first getting a taste of the music industry in his teens, and shares that the genre takeover holds a special place in his heart. 

“I’m very excited to have the opportunity to come back,” he says. “This is my happy place. I’m just grateful to be here and to have the chance to put this on. It’s so fun and exciting. We touch so many people with this festival on a deeply emotional level, where the reward of doing this is quantifiable.”