Monterey Bay Reggaefest Returns After a One Year Hiatus

The Monterey Bay Reggaefest has returned after a one-year hiatus. The festival, which was a crowd favorite for eight years, took a hit with the dot-com bust. Promoters, diligent and determined, kept up faith and return this year with a promising line-up.

This year's line-up includes international reggae and dancehall acts including Beenie Man, Anthony B, Bushman, Israel Vibration, Morgan Heritage, Sister Carol, The Abyssinians, Yami Bolo, Ras Michael, Prezident Brown, and more. The festival website promises over twenty performances on two stages, a deejay party and full bar (21+) in the Reggae Lounge, a play area for kids, and a Rastafari Arts & Culture Museum.

A&P Productions has always held the California fest over Labor Day weekend. This 9th year the festival will take place the Sunday and Monday of the three-day weekend, September 5 and 6, rather than the Saturday and Sunday because of a Saturday wedding at the Monterey County Fairgrounds.

Hailed as one of the best reggae festivals in Northern California, the event offers activities and enjoyment for the entire family. Off-site camping is available and if you're not the camping type, there are many local hotels and motels in which to crash after the long days. Just an advisory though to book your room as soon as possible.

This festival is accessible to most everyone because the tickets are priced deliberately low so that everyone can attend: a two-day ticket is $70 in advance; a single day ticket is $40 in advance. Tickets will be sold the day of the show for $45/day. Kids under 12 are $10, and toddlers under 3 are free.

The Monterey County Fairgrounds, home to the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Monterey County Fair, and other large concerts and agricultural events, is again the location of the event.

For more information about tickets and artists, please visit http://www.mbayreggaefest.net.