Reggae Fest inspires the groove at Johnstone Park

MORE than 1,500 people embraced all things Caribbean at Johnstone Park over the weekend for the second edition of Reggae Fest.

Reggae Fest included plenty of dancing, a fine selection of Caribbean inspired food and beverages and a deep dive into traditional Caribbean culture.

The event was headlined by American reggae band, Big Mountain who rocked crowds with its “Rastafari” beats and well-known remake of Peter Frampton’s “Baby, I Love Your Way”, which went top ten in the US in 1994.

The day of festivities included children’s activities and special games; chill eating competitions, Jamaican bulla eating and magic shows.

Reggae Fest co-organiser Mary-Anne Rosevelt said more than double the amount of people attended the festival this year.

“Everyone had a wonderful time, there was lots of dancing and the kids also had a ball,” she said.

“The weather definitely assisted with it, there’s no question about.

“All the acts were just amazing, particularly Big Mountain and the number one Indonesian reggae band, Marupu.

“It was a nice blend of local and international acts and incredibly fun activities of which those in attendance really enjoyed!”

Mrs Rosevelt said the festival would return in 2024.

“We were very proud of this year’s festival; however, we hope to go even bigger and better for our third one.

“You can always learn and improve, and this year showed we are definitely growing.

“We are already being asked about when the 2024 event is going to be.

“Feedback like this is very special and makes us want to keep going and improving it year on year.”

For more information on the event, head to reggaefestau.com