SAN JOSE, Calif. — After a two-year COVID hiatus, the massive California Roots Music and Arts Festival is returning to Monterey with an eye-popping lineup of reggae, hip-hop and roots music acts, including rapper Ice Cube, dancehall king Sean Paul, reggae star Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, and ska-punk band Sublime with Rome.
More than 50 acts in all are booked for the four-day event, slated for May 26-29 at the Monterey County Fair and Event Center. The fest will also feature tons of food and beverage vendors, art exhibits and installations, pop-up performances of all sorts, and booths for nonprofit groups involved with energy, ecology, community activism and other issues.
Also performing are Stephen Marley, Beenie Man, Slightly Stoopid, Rebelution and Stick Figure, among many more.
Tickets, now on sale, run $129.65-$164.74 for daily passes and $322.63-$422.05 for multi-day passes. The event website offers information and tickets for shuttle and bus services, even a bike and skate valet service. On-site camping reservations are sold out, but the website offers information on other camping and lodging options.
For tickets and more information, go to www.californiarootsfestival.com.
“I can’t believe it’s been almost three years since the Cali Roots family has come together,” said event co-producer Dan Sheehan, who added this year’s event, with a bigger lineup and more side attractions than in the past, “will be remembered in the history books.”
Here is the full lineup.
May 26
Dirty Heads, Stephen Marley, Protoje, featuring Lila Ike and Sevana, Fortunate Youth, Alborosie Demarco, DENM, Turbulence, Tropidelic, Eli Mac, Tunnel Vision.
May 27
Rebelution, Atmosphere, Chronixx, Pepper, J Boog, The Movement, Brother Ali, Tarrus Riley, Satsang, Nattali Rize, Sa-Roc, EarthKry, Arise Roots, Natural Vibrations, Kash’d Out.
May 28
Slightly Stoopid, Stick Figure, Beenie Man, Tribal Seeds, Trevor Hall, The Green, Collie Buddz, The Expendables, Dub Inc, Bumpin Uglies, The Elovaters, FIA, Sensi Trails.
May 29
Damian Marley, Ice Cube, Sean Paul, Sublime with Rome, Common Kings, Durand Jones and the Indications, Anthony B, Hirie, Iya Terra, Keznamdi, Through the Roots, Artikal Sound System, Vana Liya.
