Riverbank set to host reggae festival

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This article was published 04/07/2022 (1229 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

At the end of this month, Brandon’s Riverbank Discovery Centre will be the home of the International Reggae Afro Latin Music & Arts Festival’s (IRAL) first-ever event in the Wheat City.

On July 29 and 30, the IRAL Summer Jam Fest will be taking the stage for two days of music, food, DJs, artists and more.

According to IRAL founder Neville Hamilton, the organization had booked the venue for a similar event in 2020, but those plans were scuttled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Since COVID came, we were unable to do anything, so we kept postponing,” Hamilton said by phone Sunday. “This time, we decided we were going to do it, doesn’t matter in what capacity, but we decided to get it done.”

Though the lineup isn’t yet settled as the group works to book international stars, Hamilton said the event will feature reggae artists from around Canada, and the hope is to get some local musicians signed up to play as well.

The idea is to have events and fun activities during the day with dedicated musical performances later on.

IRAL had also set up a “colour fest” event to take place in Brandon next Saturday at the Royal Canadian Legion, but Hamilton said that scheduling issues have forced a delay.

Now the colour fest, which will feature plenty of coloured, non-toxic powders being thrown around in the style of the Holi festival in India, will take place on the first day of the Summer Jam event.

Currently, tickets are for sale online at iralfest.com, though Hamilton said there will also be ticket sales on-site. At the moment, an early bird sale has single-day passes at $15 for adults and $10 for kids, with weekend passes at $30 and $20 for kids. Children aged 6 and under get free entry.

Depending on what kind of acts are booked, Hamilton warns that the ticket prices could end up increasing.

If the event goes well, Hamilton said there’s a chance this event becomes a more frequent occurrence in Brandon.

“This is a stepping stone for us and we know it will be a while before it grows into what we want it to be,” Hamilton said. “I believe that our culture can do so much better as a people if we set the stage for the future.

“Reggae, Afro and Latin — especially reggae — are known worldwide. If you look at those places, there are massive shows that people attend and it is good for the economy and it is good for the people. We’re about love and unity and that’s what we want to be pushing with all of our festivals.”

While people frequently associate reggae and Rastafarian belief with cannabis use, Hamilton stressed that love and peace are the core messages.

For those who maybe aren’t familiar with the genre of music, he said that the event will be light and fun and will provide the chance to connect with others.

“Once you start hearing good reggae music, you can’t help but have to start moving,” he said. “Even if you’re not a dancer, you’ll be tapping and then from tapping, there’s a vibe. That’s the thing with reggae. If you give it a chance, it will take you unaware and then you start expressing yourself.”

To keep an eye on who has been booked and what’s in the works for the two-day festival, Hamilton recommends that people keep an eye on IRAL’s website or social media pages.

» cslark@brandonsun.com

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