Anticipation is building for the long-awaited return of the Victoria Ska and Reggae Festival, which kicks off with a pair of free concerts on Wednesday and Thursday night at Victoria’s Ship Point.
"[It's the] first time in 3 years we’ve been able to get together," said the festival's director of media, Blake Morneau.
"Energy is as high as it’s ever been, both from our team and the audience," he said.
Organizers are expecting to entertain more than 12,000 people with 11 shows across four venues, over the course of five days.
"After 23 years a lot of the festival is built on family and friends," said Morneau.
"We’ve got a lot of people who come from Alberta and Ontario. We have people who come every year from Australia, and they’re all coming back," he said. "It’s almost like a family reunion."
Festival headliners this year include reggae royalty, The Wailers, along with King Yellowman, from Jamaica, Bedouin Soundclash, and Too Many Zooz.
VOLUNTEERS WANTED
If you want to see some of the main acts for free, organizers say there is plenty of room for more volunteers.
"The volunteers are the lifeblood of the festival since our inception 23 years ago. The volunteers are what make it work," said Morneau.
"We have people, volunteers whose children volunteer now, they’ve been volunteering so long," he said. "It’s a great way to meet people, get out, and get some free shows."
Anyone interested in volunteering at the festival can email volunteer@victoriaskafest.ca[.]
The festival continues at Ship Point with ticketed events on Friday and Saturday night, followed by another free concert on Sunday.
Performances are also scheduled at Herman’s Jazz Club and at the Victoria Curling Club.
You can find a full schedule of events, and more information about volunteering on the Victoria Ska and Reggae Festival website.
