FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — After more than 40 years as a springtime live-music destination on the waterfront in downtown West Palm Beach, SunFest will not return in May.

Citing “challenges” in the music festival industry, SunFest organizers on Wednesday announced a “significant shift” for the festival, including a move away from its traditional spot on the music calendar.

“SunFest will no longer take place on the traditional first weekend in May,” said a statement posted to the SunFest website. It was otherwise vague about the future of the multiday live-music event, but vowed to come back with “something new and fresh.”

Along with looking at new dates for SunFest in 2025, organizers are exploring “fresh venues and formats.”

SunFest had wobbled in recent years: The festival shrank from five to four days in 2019, before being canceled by the pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

After holding steady in 2022, SunFest was trimmed to three days in 2023, and two stages instead of three. Ancillary features such as the art exhibit and fireworks display also were cut.

While the festival said the savings were invested in better, more expensive acts, the 2023 lineup was noticeably lacking in depth and A-list firepower, led by The Chainsmokers, The Killers, Jack Johnson, Flo Rida and A Boogie wit da Hoodie.

SunFest 2024, under the direction of new executive director Dianna Craven, leaned into more local performers and a younger sound, adding the Electronic Barge, home to an array of DJs. The 2024 headliners included Cole Swindell, Nelly, Third Eye Blind, Billy Idol and Elle King.

Ticket prices rose incrementally over the years: The cheapest single-day pass was $47 in 2019, $55 in 2022, $70 in 2023 and $80 in this year.

Founded in 1982 as a 10-day event, the festival is produced by SunFest of Palm Beach County, Inc., a private, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

Its eclectic history of performers over the years includes Bob Dylan, Celia Cruz, James Brown, John Legend, Ed Sheeran, J. Cole, Keith Urban, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Smashing Pumpkins, Blink-182, Alice In Chains, Duran Duran, Pitbull, Ice Cube, Lizzo, Avett Brothers, Black Pumas, Styx, the Pixies and ZZ Top.

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