The debut of Tropicalia Festival in Long Beach, CA went off with next to no hitches. With plenty of free tacos to gorge upon, a diverse lineup and a sold-out venue, set against the legendary retired RMS Queen Mary ocean liner, it’s safe to say the inaugural event was a success.

Hosted by The Observatory—the folks behind Day N Night and One Love Fest—the event, appreciated for its intimate and easygoing vibe, took place on 11/11 at the Queen Mary Event Park. While the lineup leaned heavily on Latin acts, such as Chicano Batman and Kali Uchis, the festival also featured local experimentalists like Cuco and Madlib, as well as acts from the hip-hop and urban contemporary corners of mainstream music. With minimal lineup scheduling conflicts, HITS' own Ranya Khoury hit up as many performances as she could between tortilla-filled breaks.

In a bittersweet turn of events, Squaaash Club's GoldLink, whose single “Crew” is certified platinum, had to cancel his set to welcome a newborn son into the world. Meanwhile Mom+Pop's Alina Baraz had a characteristically smokey set, featuring songs from her & Galamatias' collaborative EP, Urban Flora, as well as the debut of her new single, “High.” She also covered an acoustic version of Drake’s "Passionfruit," that left the crowd speechless. Jhene Aiko closed down the festival with vibrant energy and songs off her latest album, Trip (Def Jam), plus earlier standard “The Worst,” making for a perfect end to Tropicalia.