4. Green Moon Festival
(Isla de San Andres, Colombia, Sept. 16-19)
Though administered by Colombia, the islands of San Andrés and Providencia are located closer to Nicaragua and, culturally, the former British colony shares more in common with the English-speaking Caribbean. San Andrés is the backdrop of Festival de la Luna Verde, or Green Moon Festival, a celebration of Caribbean music with roots running back to 1984. Programming spans the gamut of Caribbean sounds, from reggae to zouk and Colombian champeta: Beenie Man, Kassav’ and Gyptian have all performed in recent years. Acts at this year’s edition include England’s Gappy Ranks, Jamaica’s Charly Blacks, Cuba’s Septeto Santiaguero and Colombia’s Hety y Zambo. Read more about the Green Moon Festival here follow their Twitter page for updates, and read our story on how artists from San Andrés birthed a growing dancehall scene across Colombia.