Montreal International Reggae Festival (Montreal; August 26-28)
Photo: Marc Bruxelle.com
It’s edition number lucky thirteen for the Montreal International Reggae Festival, happening at the tail end of the summer. The location of the fest is in the Old Port of the city, which is a little piece of Europe in North America. Right on the water, it makes for an excellent and vibrant atmosphere, not to mention really good sound. So far Barrington Levy and Cocoa Tea have been confirmed, but Montreal’s organizers always have a roster of heavy hitters–they’ve hosted everyone and every genre of reggae from mento to dancehall and Beres Hammond to Yellowman, and this year will certainly be no exception. The fest also provides a showcase of Canadian acts from across the country as well as some excellent local soundsystems and DJs. This hasn’t become the largest reggae event in Canada for nothing.