The 9th annual California Roots Music and Arts Festival will take place at the historic Monterey County Fair & Event Center from May 25-27 2018. The top tier national festival has become the premier gathering for the progressive U.S. reggae and positive roots movement, bringing in over 40,000 fans to the bay area over the Memorial Day weekend. National press accolades from Forbes, Billboard, and The Huffington Post keep recognizing the event for its leadership in greening, live streaming, art exhibitions, and overall community vibe. While most big brand festivals start looking and feeling the same, Cali Roots stands out as a unique festival with a strong identity and growing audience.
As many festivals come and go throughout the years, it’s no small feat that Cali Roots is hitting its 9th anniversary. As festival Co-Producer Dan Sheehan states, “we can’t help but reflect upon the road that has brought us to this point in time and where our journey will take us next. What started out as a modest vision has blossomed and grown into a dynamic, multi-layered event that has become the anchor festival of the year, a destination for many travelling from near and far to join us each Memorial Day Weekend.” The result is the largest and most well-known reggae festival in the country. The festival has inspired other organizers to bring like-minded events from coast to coast, but none ever match the programming and experience Cali Roots delivers each year.
2018’s California Roots Music and Arts Festival lineup is another intriguing mix of festival favorites alongside boundary pushing newcomers, keeping it fresh and reflective at the same time. But as attendees know, Cali Roots is not only about the musical talent, but about the full encompassing rich experience for festival goers. Sheehan adds, “We love cultivating what your experience will feel like as you walk through our gates, thoughtfully selecting live artists, delicious food, beautiful and unique craft booths, and intimate pop-up performances that we believe will enhance your experience.”
Cali Roots also dedicates itself to environmental sustainability as a top priority with ongoing eco-conscious partners and programs including zero waste stations equipped with recycling and composting bins, refillable water bottles and refilling spots provided by non-profit REVERB, and a partnership with Monterey’s The Offset Project [TOP], which help enact and measure the effects of the sustainability measures and booking through TripZero. Last year also saw the launch of the Redwood Pass, which includes exclusive on-site offerings and viewing areas, but with the goal to keep the Redwood Forest alive. For each Redwood pass purchased, Cali Roots in conjunction with the Redwood Forest Foundation, plants two redwood saplings in the purchaser’s honor. 2017 helped to successfully plant nearly 1,000 redwood trees.
The 9th edition will also see the return of the popular Cali Roots vinyl compilation, memorabilia that features custom artwork and music from the 2018 lineup. Proceeds will benefit the “Yes I Can” organization to help disabled individual secure employment within the music and entertainment
industries.
Sheehan concludes, “From this festival came our beautiful festival family, you all, the fans, who arrive every year with love and positivity in your hearts. We are the Cali Roots we have become because of you. We have the deepest gratitude for this growing family.” So where will the road take it next? 10th Annual...
LINEUP
Friday, May 25th
Iration
Atmosphere
Steel Pulse
Chronixx
E-40
Alpha Blondy
Hirie
Brother Ali
Sammy J
The Movement
Ocean Alley
Tropidelic
Saturday, May 26th
Rebelution
Dispatch
Stephen Marley
J Boog
Ozomatli
Fortunate Youth
The HoldUp
The Hip Abduction
Anuhea
Xiuhtezcatl
The Ries Brothers
Sunday, May 27th
Slightly Stoopid
311
Tribal Seeds
The Green
Tash Sultana
Xavier Rudd
The Original Wailers
Mike Love
Raging Fyah
New Kingston
Darenots
FESTIVAL DETAILS
The 9th Annual California Roots Music and Arts Festival
Dates: Friday, May 25, 2018 – Sunday May 27, 2018
Time: 10:00 am – 11:00 pm PDT
Venue: Monterey County Fair and Event Center
Address: 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey, CA 93940
Admission: Varies (Purchase Link: https://californiarootsfestival.com/tickets)
Age restrictions: All Ages
