Last Saturday, July 6, the first edition of the Reggae Wood Festival took place at Zuiderpark in Rotterdam. Although the time and location of the festival were optimal, unfortunately, the festival had to cope with some setbacks.

Due to Hurricane Beryl in Jamaica, a few artists could not make it to the festival. However, the festival handled this well by replacing Luciano with Etana, Mo Ali, and the Roots Riders, filling the gap left by Maxi Priest. One of the acts I was looking forward to seeing, T.O.K., also didn’t make it to the festival.

Speaking of setbacks, the weather gods weren’t in a good mood this Saturday, sending the festival some heavy storms and rain showers. Fortunately, the crowd didn’t mind too much and fled into the Dancehall Tent to enjoy some Dancehall vibes with Million Stylez alongside DJ Jah and the DJ collective ‘De Danshal.’

Overall, despite the setbacks, the festival carried a great vibe, especially when the sun was out. The many food stands ensured that bellies were full, and the festival was well organized. Big ups to the organizers; I am looking forward to the 2025 edition!