Summer Skankin’ at The Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival

You know what they say… another day, another festival lineup! Today, DMNW is heading back to Vancouver Island, just off mainland BC, where we’ve previously featured two other options for your summertime shenanigans; Tall Tree Music Festival outside of Port Renfrew, and Atmosphere Gathering in Cumberland. No stranger to a good time as well, however, is BC’s capital city of Victoria – home of the 17^th annual Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival!

In a city whose residents are often labeled as “newly wed or nearly dead,” SkaFest is a stark reminder that labels aren’t always what they seem. A quick glance around the crowd at North America’s longest running Ska Festival reveals a diverse mix of attendees itchin’ to celebrate the sound of skank.

We all know electronic music didn’t just magically appear out of thin air. Just like almost every form of music or genre, EDM was heavily influenced by what came before it. And if you follow the bloodline of something like drum & bass or dubstep down the ladder, beyond hip-hop, dub, and reggae, you’ll eventually end up at ska.

Graphs don’t lie.

That’s where SkaFest starts, by showcasing a collection of artists from around the world that help highlight all three waves of ska plus related genres like reggae, dub, dancehall, punk, and more. From afternoon until 10 pm, attendees of all ages can enjoy the scenic backdrop of Victoria’s Inner Harbour as SkaFest incorporates Victoria’s landscape into the feel good vibes that are synonymous with skankin’. After the sun sets, the party moves indoors to various downtown locations, where you must be 19+ in order to enjoy the more intimate, and sweaty, performances on the lineup below.

This year’s lineup features international headliners like Dub FX, The Black Seeds, Orquestra Brasileira de Música Jamaicana, and one of the pioneers of the ska scene – the legendary Toots and the Maytals! BC favorites include Illvis Freshly, Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra, DJ Dubconscious, and Sweetleaf, plus a stacked lineup of over 30 other artists that help round out the talent at SkaFest 2016.

Full festival passes are just $149, and gain you entry into all seven ticketed events, or you can go with weekend harbour (daytime) passes for $55, or purchase individual tickets at your will. All tickets are still available by clicking here, or by visiting one of the locations around Victoria, Vancouver, Nanaimo, or Duncan.

If you’re on the fence about attending, or are just curious as to what SkaFest is all about, Thursday, June 23^rd is a FREE show and highlights some of the international flavor at this year’s event! Skank your way over to the Inner Harbour from June 22 – 26 and join DMNW at the Victoria Ska & Reggae festival!