The 4th Annual San Diego Bayfest will be taking place on Saturday, July 8th, 2023 at the scenic Waterfront Park in downtown San Diego. With doors opening at 12pm, fans will be met with high energy musical performances accompanied by local food vendors, as well as bartenders pouring an assortment of craft beers & cocktails.
With no overlapping sets, all of the days performances will be taking place on one stage with some of San Diego's finest DJ's playing between sets. Tickets for Bayfest go on sale Friday, February 24th at 10am. General Admission is $80 and Limited VIP Passes will be available for $300 and can be purchased here.
Damian “JR. Gong” Marley - Damian is the youngest son of Reggae Icon Bob Marley. Damian’s hit single “Welcome to Jamrock” was listed as one of the Top 100 Songs of the Decade by Rolling Stone, and at the 2006 Grammy Awards, he won Best Reggae Album and Best Urban/Alternative Performance for Welcome to Jamrock. Damian is the only Jamaican reggae artist in history to win two Grammy Awards on the same night. He is also the only reggae artist to win in the Best Urban/Alternative Performance category at the Grammy Awards. The New York Times called Welcome to Jamrock the “best reggae song of the decade.”
Common Kings - Common Kings strikes the perfect balance between R&B, rock, reggae, pop and island influences from the collective minds of JR King (vocals), Mata (guitar), Uncle Lui (bass), and Rome (drums). The amalgamation comes from growing up on healthy doses of Van Morrison, Stevie Wonder, George Benson, Jim Croce, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Gypsy Kings, Earth Wind and Fire, and Bob Marley. These influences originate from each band members love for various genres, and widespread knowledge of music.
Koffee - 22-year-old musician Mikayla “Koffee” Simpson may be small in stature and disarmingly unassuming but her modesty – and height – belies huge amounts of talent. Describing herself as sitting somewhere between a singer, a rapper (known as a DJ in Jamaica) and a guitarist, Koffee’s current output has tended towards the more traditional Jamaican rhythms. But while reggae is on the agenda at the moment, Koffee intends to take in the many artists who have influenced her over the years, from Proteje and Supercat to St Louis rapper Smino and UK Rap star Giggs.
Prof - This Minneapolis rapper has made a robust career for himself by crafting memorable songs about everything from heartache to arson. These terrific tales and his dynamic stage show have led to concerts and tours across the country, and have exposed him to life-altering experiences. As an artist and a man who is fueled by overcoming his past, standing in his strength, and pushing himself creatively, Prof has plenty of inspiration to draw from as he moves into the next phases of his career and his life.
Denm - Working, first as a producer, most recently as a songwriter and musician, DENM has been a highly sought-after creative force in the indie music scene for over a decade. He’s evolved, thankfully and successfully, from years as an admittedly troubled teen bouncing from beach town to beach town including a history in San Diego. With the release of his genre-hopping debut album, Slum Beach Denny, it’s time to add DENM to the storied list of Southern California’s musical ambassadors.
Kahlil Nash - With a long history of performances, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Kahlil Nash is a San Diego based recording artist and is a young entertainer who began pursuing his dream at the age of three. Kahlil produced his first Bedroom Pop EP titled Transcendence which was released in October of 2020. The EP won the 2021 San Diego Music Award for Best R&B, Funk, or Soul Album. In 2022, he released his third sequential EP Imagine which is once again nominated for a San Diego Music Award for Best R&B, Funk, or Soul Album.
DJs set provided by Sleeping Giant Music – You cannot have a conversation about the DJ scene in San Diego without talking about the city’s premier talent agency, Sleeping Giant Music. SGM booked the DJs who will keep the vibes alive during set changes with live spins brought to you by Unite, Mr. Hek and Green T.
We couldn’t be more proud of the bands, DJ’s, vendors alongside the County and City staff who have stepped up to stand with us as we roll out San Diego’s most anticipated event of 2023.
More information can be found on: SanDiegoBayFest.com, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
