Reggae On The River, one of the events that exposed Jamaican pop culture to West Coast audiences in the United States, takes place August 1–3, 2025 at Eel River in Humboldt County, Northern California.
Typically, it features a diverse lineup including roots artistes Julian Marley, Luciano, Queen Omega, Turbulence and Third World, as well as dancehall acts Busy Signal, Tarrus Riley, Alborosie, Mr Vegas, Romain Virgo, Charly Black and Bugle.

Yellowman, who helped take dancehall music international during the 1980s when he signed with CBS Records, is also a headliner for Reggae On The River 2025.

“Reggae On The River is one of my favourite festivals. The vibes in the cool hills remind me of Blue Mountain in Jamaica. I am looking forward to a jubilant crowd when we hit the stage,” said Mr Vegas.

A new feature is CannaZone, which focuses on the cannabis industry in the Emerald Triangle which covers Humboldt, Mendocino and Trinity counties. This event gives showgoers an opportunity to learn about the plant’s regional history and production methods with local farmers and legacy growers.

Another attraction is the International Marketplace, which showcases over 50 vendors with global cuisine. Sound system culture will be represented by heavyweights such as King Addies out of New York and Jah Works from Japan, as well as over 25 DJs.

Reggae On The River was first held in Humboldt County in 1984 by Carol Bruno and Nancy Shelby, her business partner. The inaugural event raised enough funds to rebuild a community centre that was destroyed by fire.

Since then, the biggest names in reggae have performed at the event, making it one of the biggest shows of its kind in the world. Carol Bruno died in 2019 at age 72.

– Howard Campbell