On June 23 and 24, Ithaca Reggae Fest will return to Stewart Park for its fifth year. The festivities will include renowned reggae acts from the local and international scene, alongside a skateboarding competition and creative community activities. Reggae Fest’s free welcome party will take place on Friday from five to nine p.m. Saturday’s ticketed events will run from nine a.m. to ten p.m. Tickets are available online at Eventbrite for $30 including fees; visitors can also purchase passes for $35 at the gate or downtown at Ithaca Guitar Works. Marketing director Russ Friedell emphasized the festival’s focus on community and ecological preservation. He said that the event aims to incorporate New York reggae with the international scene. “Ithaca Reggae Fest is dedicated to the protection of Cayuga Lake through a conscious celebration of Ithaca’s legendary reggae community and its history,” Friedell said.
This year’s headliner is the Rochester-based Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad. Friedell noted their connections to Ithaca, as several band members performed at Castaways (now Deep Dive) while they attended Ithaca College.
Jamaican producer Scientist will live mix the band’s Saturday set and perform a solo DJ set on Friday. The other musical acts include Double Tiger, Sundub, New Planets, the Analogue Sons, and a roster of local DJs.
Reggae Fest will include several Villages with non-musical offerings, from yoga to skateboarding to collaborative art. Jay Stooks, a program coordinator with the Greater Ithaca Activities Center, will lead both the Youth and the Art Villages in all-ages crafts and games.
Visitors can learn about protecting Cayuga Lake’s ecosystem at the Education Village, organized in partnership with the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network, the Community Science Institute, and Discover Cayuga Lake. This Village will feature local scientists and activists, along with themed interactive activities.
The Yoga Village, coordinated with Yoga Farm Ithaca, will lead 108 Sun Salutations at nine a.m. to kick off Saturday’s festival. Following this sequence, traditionally used to mark a new season, they will offer dance and meditation events.
https://www.ithacareggaefest.com
