Sierra Nevada World Music Festival: The long-running Sierra Nevada World Music Festival (SNWMF) will take place June 21st – 23rd at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville, California. The reggae and world music festival features live music on two stages, a late-night dancehall, a wide selection of food and drink booths and an international marketplace. Camping is available onsite with easy access to the festival grounds and a quick walk to downtown Boonville.
SNWMF is family-friendly and features a dedicated “KidZone” filled with creative and interactive programming. Kids 12 and older are free when accompanied by a ticketed adult.
The Mendocino County Fairgrounds is an Oak-and-Redwood-filled venue that is situated in the Anderson Valley, an idyllic, picturesque enclave located less than three hours north of San Francisco.
Three-day tickets and camping passes are now available. Limited single-day tickets will be released closer to the event. Payment plans are available for tickets and camping.
More Info and Tickets
The 2024 lineup features top names in reggae and world music: Beres Hammond, Koffee, Busy Signal, Steel Pulse Barrington Levy, David Rodigan, Third World, Stonebwoy, Leroy Sibbles, Half Pint, The Tennors, Eric Monty Morris, Natu Camara, Channel One Soundsystem, Rassarella, Warrior Sound International, Reemah, Blvk H3ro, Link & Chain, Terry Linen, and the Reggae Rajahs, with more artists still to be announced.
CONFIRMED ARTIST LINEUP:
BERES HAMMOND
“Jamaica’s National Treasure,” Beres Hammond returns to SNWMF to spread his message of love and positivity. Throughout his illustrious career, he has released a plethora of hit songs, including classics like “Putting Up Resistance,” “Rock Away,” and “What One Dance Can Do.” His soul-stirring performances and timeless music have earned him a dedicated fan base around the globe.
KOFFEE
With a mission to spread positivity through her music, Grammy-winning sensation Koffee is set to make her debut at SNWMF, bringing her infectious energy and uplifting vibes to the stage.
BUSY SIGNAL
One of the world’s hottest dancehall artists, Jamaican powerhouse Busy Signal will ignite the SNWMF stage for the first time, promising an electrifying performance! Vaulting onto the dancehall scene in 2003, Busy Signal’s lyrical dexterity took him quickly to the top of the pack. His prolific discography of singles, albums and music videos is racking up hundreds of millions of plays.
BARRINGTON LEVY
Recognized as the first original singer of the dancehall era and paving the way for generations of artists, Barrington Levy has released over 30 albums and is the man behind mega-hits like “Shine Eye Gal” and “Under Mi Sensi.”
STEEL PULSE
Formed in Birmingham, England in 1975, Steel Pulse is one of the most influential, beloved and enduring reggae bands in the world. Known for their socially conscious lyrics, captivating melodies, and powerful stage presence, Steel Pulse continues to leave an indelible mark on the reggae world.
DAVID RODIGAN
Award-winning UK reggae icon David Rodigan, affectionately known as “Ram Jam,” will treat festival-goers to his legendary deejay skills and unparalleled passion for Jamaican music.
THIRD WORLD
With standards like “96 Degrees in the Shade,” Third World fuses reggae, pop and R&B, demonstrating the ability of Jamaican music to evolve, adapt and transcend borders.
STONEBWOY
Hailing from Ghana, Stonebwoy stands as a fresh African voice in the world of Afrobeat and reggae, having collaborated with artists such as Capleton, Sean Paul, Sizzla, Angelique Kidjo and Tiwa Savage. He won the Best International Act: Africa category at the BET Awards and Artist of the Year at the Ghana Music Awards.
CHANNEL ONE SOUNDSYSTEM
A pioneering force in the world of reggae sound systems, Channel One was founded in the 1970s and rose to prominence on the vibrant reggae scene of London, England. Their residency at the Notting Hill Carnival, Europe’s largest street festival, has become legendary, drawing massive crowds year after year. Get ready to groove with Mikey Dread and MC Macky Banton to their infectious rhythms and bass-heavy vibrations.
LEROY SIBBLES
The beloved legend of rocksteady will get the crowd skankin’! In a triumphant return to SNWMF, Leroy Sibbles draws on his ample catalog of iconic songs from the Heptones era as well as his solo works.
HALF PINT
Half Pint’s diminutive stature belies his vocal capabilities and huge stage presence. He has authored many songs that went on to become international hits. Sublime based one of their biggest songs “What I Got” on the chorus of his track “Loving.” He has recorded with Long Beach Dub Allstars, Stick Figure and Hepcat and toured the US with Slightly Stoopid.
NATU CAMARA
One of Guinea’s brightest musical stars, Natu Camara is also a committed activist for the empowerment and education of girls and women in West Africa. A vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, she sings in five languages.
RASSARELLA
A recognized sound selector in Jamaica and beyond, Rassarella is a regular on the Jam Rock Cruise and operates Zion Train Intl. Sound. He is regarded as an influential figure in the reggae world.
WARRIOR SOUND INTERNATIONAL
Direct from Germany, Mattia Rubenstrunk is the one-man army known as Warrior Sound International, a reigning sound clash champion and force to be reckoned with. In reaction to the isolation of the pandemic, Mattia founded the “Shutdown Show” on Twitch and an entire worldwide community of Warrior Sound fans was formed.
THE TENNORS
Formed in the 1960’s by Clive Tennors and Prof Johnson, the Tennors made a mark in the field of Jamaican rocksteady with their hit “Pressure & Slide.” The Tennors are known as one of the most unique of the vocal groups to emerge during that era.
ERIC MONTY MORRIS
This legend of ska, Eric “Monty” Morris has made a significant contribution to shaping the sound of Jamaican music. He began to sing in the early 1950’s and had his first hit ‘Humpty Dumpty” in 1961, gaining recognition for his smooth, tenor voice and catchy melodies.
REEMAH
Hailing from St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, Reemah is an important emerging female voice in reggae music. Her vibrant stage presence, powerful songs and spiritually uplifting message make her performance a must-see.
BLVK H3RO
Blvk H3ro is one of the most exciting emerging reggae artists today. He leads a resurgence of positive and conscious-minded music. Last year H3ro wowed SNWMF with his debut performance and is back by popular demand!
REGGAE RAJAHS
Reggae Rajahs are a reggae-and-bass music sound system crew based out of New Delhi, the first Jamaican-style sound system in India and creators of the Goa Sunsplash Festival.
TERRY LINEN Blessed with a brilliantly distinctive voice, Terry Linen has cemented a place in the hearts of reggae lovers worldwide with his songs and poetic songwriting.
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About SNWMF
Since 1994, Sierra Nevada World Music Festival has been an iconic part of the California festival circuit, bringing music lovers from around the world together in a family-friendly setting for three magical days of reggae and world music. Founder and programmer Warren Smith envisioned a unique mix of authentic roots-reggae and global music trends, bringing this to fruition with so many memorable performances over 25 years. Since his passing a few years ago, his wife Gretchen has taken over the reins and keeps Warren’s vision alive of a hosting a world-class reggae and world music festival.
Reggae artists who have headlined at SNWMF over the years include icons like Jimmy Cliff, Bunny Wailer, Toots & The Maytals, Damian Marley, Burning Spear, Beres Hammond, Marcia Griffiths, Wailing Souls, Black Uhuru, Alton Ellis, The Skatalites, Prince Buster, the Pioneers, The Clarendonians, Keith & Tex and Lee Scratch Perry. More recently, the festival has presented next-generation reggae artists like Protoje, Kabaka Pyramid, Stick Figure and Chronixx. Top reggae deejays including Jah Shaka, Stone Love, Mad Professor and David Rodigan have also been featured participants.
