The 5th Annual California Roots Music and Arts Festival Lineup

The 5th annual California Roots Music and Arts Festival will take place later this week at the historic Monterey County Fairgrounds, from May 23-25, 2014. This year’s extensive lineup brings together some of the best talent from the US Reggae scene with The Green , SOJA, Rebelution, 311, and Pepper along with Jamaican favorites, including Steel Pulse, Ziggy Marley, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, and much more.

“We have worked so hard over the last few years to really put this festival on the map not only in California but nationwide,” says festival director Dan Sheehan. “The event started off as a one day event back in 2010 with about 1200 people in attendance to a festival that is now 3 days with over 10,000 people coming through the gates each day. We work year round on this event and our North Carolina event and we wouldn’t have it any other way!”

The art side of the festival is similarly important. “Live painters on stage has become part of the California Roots Festival since year one and it just keeps getting stronger,” Dan adds. “We look at it as part of the overall experience of the event and the fans and bands really get into it.”

For more than a decade, U.S. Reggae artists have been organically building a solid foundation from the Hawaiian Islands to the west and east coasts. This new generation of reggae artists include Rebelution, SOJA, and The Green.

Jamaican Reggae artists have also recognized the potential in the flourishing US scene and have embraced collaboration with American artists and co-billing on tours and festivals like Cali Roots.

The festival sold out last year so the organizers had to expand into a bigger area of the Monterrey County Fairgrounds, home to the famous 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival, where Jimi Hendrix lit his guitar on fire and Janis Joplin rose to prominence.

Friday, May 23

Soja
Steel Pulse
J Boog
Katchafire
Stick Figure
Passafire
B Side Players
Cisco Adler
Kimie
Maoli
The Expanders
Simpkin Project
Bumpin’ Uglies
The Steppas
The Stircrazies
Reeform

Saturday, May 24

Rebelution
Ziggy Marley
Iration
Zion I
Alborosie
Nahko And Medicine For The People
Aer
Los Rakas
Cas Haley
Katastro
Saritah
True Press
Ojo De Buey
Tatanka
Papafish
Dewey And The Peoples

Sunday, May 25

Damian “Jr Gong” Marley
311
Pepper
The Green
Skunk 25th Anniversary Live On Stage
Groundation
The Movement
New Kingston
Hirie
Micah Brown
Krooked Treez
Beyond I Sight Featuring Gonzo
Clear Conscience
Black Salt Tone
Iriefuse

The 5th Annual California Roots Music and Arts Festival
Dates: Friday, May 23, 2014 – Sunday May 25, 2014
Time: 10:00 am – 11 pm PDT
Venue: Monterey County Fairgrounds
Address: 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey, CA 93940
Admission: Varies (see: https://californiarootsfestival.eventbrite.com)
Age restrictions: All Ages