Reggae on the River facts for kids

Reggae on the River (also known as Reggae by local people) is a yearly music festival. It happens on the first weekend of August in Humboldt County, California. The festival started in 1984.

It began as a way to help the Mateel Community Center. This is a nonprofit group in southern Humboldt County. Their community hall in Garberville was burned down. Nancy Shelby, Carol Bruno, and Jack Arthur helped organize the festival. They wanted to raise money for a new hall.

For many years, the festival was held at French's Camp. This place is on the Eel River near Piercy, California. In 2003, Reggae on the River celebrated its 20th year. A DVD was released with live performances from that anniversary. It featured artists like Culture, Toots & the Maytals, Third World, and the Marley brothers.

Festival Changes

In 2006, the festival faced some challenges. It brought in less money than before. Because of this, the Mateel Community Center did not earn much from the event that year.

In 2007, the festival was canceled. This happened because of disagreements between the Mateel Community Center and the company that helped organize the event. Another reggae concert called "Reggae Rising" took place instead. It was held at Dimmick Ranch during the usual festival weekend.

New Locations

From 2008, Reggae on the River moved to a new spot. It was held at Benbow Lake State Recreation Area in Benbow, California. This location is north of the festival's first home.

In 2013, Reggae on the River returned to its original location. It went back to French's Camp near Piercy, California. It also returned to its usual time, the first weekend of August. Sometimes the date might shift slightly between late July and early August.