Reggae on the River Will Continue in 2026 But on a Different Weekend
Tie-dye and joy at the front rail of Reggae on the River in 2025. [Photo by Anna Rogers]
This year’s announcement arrives on the heels of the 2025 Reggae on the River, which drew thousands to the banks of the South Fork of the Eel River. The festival delivered familiar scenes—dancers moving through dust lit by afternoon sun, hillside crowds at the Valley Stage as the river turned gold at sunset, and fans pressed to the front rail soaking in the sound. From barefoot dancers to families sharing shade beneath the redwoods, the crowd spanned generations.
The Mateel says the shift to a new weekend next year—August 14–16—does not alter the festival’s mission. The organization emphasized its continued focus on producing “another meaningful, community-minded Reggae on the River.”
Details about the 2026 lineup, ticketing, and programming will be released in the coming months. Redheaded Blackbelt will continue to follow developments.
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In addition to info on the lineup, ticketing and programming how about disclosing how much $$ the “Mateel leadership” and other insiders will be paying themselves?
Or will we see a replay of $300,000 paid out in cash with no receipts?
There was definitely an accelerating racket going on where Volunteer and other types of wristbands were doled out to locals for sale before they self-imploded the event. That money didn’t flow into the Mateel.
Sweet. This is all ways an great fund raiser for toys for tots.I love seeing all those Harleys with teddy bears riding shot gun.glad too know the good vibes our continueing. Keep up the good work.
Great, having Reggae later when the South Fork Eel River is even lower in flow and higher in lethal water temperature on threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead. The idea that Reggae does not degrade the River water quality and wildlife habitat is beyond the pale. So much for protecting the environment in Southern Humboldt…
I’m with you, Ed. When I first landed in NoMen/SoHum (late 70’s) there was much enthusiasm for rehabilitating and rescuing our natural environment. It was a righteous mission. It’s been painful to see the change in perspective of the young people and their partying parents. Selfish hedonism is more valuable than the lives of the critters, fish, rivers and forests I guess. It is a New Jersey state of mind around here anymore…we used to at least try to do better. The river will be fragile by mid-August
I don’t know the science, but it seems there are different POVs on environmental impacts to the river.
What is likely easier to quantify are the economic benefits to the community that funds many organizations and ‘damaging’ issues that we deal with. So, there might be an offset.
Often in life, choices are not black or white as applied to a larger environment, but need to be understood as nuanced. If they were, all roads in the hills should be closed, homes in towns should switch to composting toilets, etc.
Human beings affect the environment. Using our intelligence and compassion to do that wisely, is a balancing act.
….I’ll hunker down now and prepare for the assault from Ed. Ha.
“assault”? How about the facts? Show me the money!
“What is likely easier to quantify are the economic benefits to the community that funds many organizations and ‘damaging’ issues that we deal with.”
Can you “quantify… the economic benefits”? Where is a public accounting and financial statement for the MCC and ROTR? Here is the most current MCC 990 tax return for 2023. Pleas point out where it discloses ROTR gross and net income?
https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/942624598/202423209349326437/full
I’m talking less about the MCC income than I am the benefit to many non-profits and small businesses in the area. It was said many times that ‘our organization gets most of it’s annual income from ROTR!’. Sure, the struggling economy will offer less regionally-derived money to the vendors. Yet many out of area guests still bring in funds that support, for instance, KMUD to inform the community about local environmental, and other issues, or local schools, where they teach children to have an environmental (etc) awareness that stays with them for a lifetime. On and on. Many positive effects from ROTR. And yes, some (short term?) environmental harm. But, sadly, life is often tradeoffs.
In other words, Sacrifice the few for the many? Who are these “many non-profits and small businesses in the area” who benefited from ROTR? We know that 95% of the vendors and all the headliner entertainers are from outside Humboldt County. Then you have Hot Milk Entertainment, who produced ROTR 2024-2025 with the MCC. The contract, financials and income was never made public, because Hot Milk is not a non-profit charity like the MCC:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cripZScngbgQhEbRJm3UeXSM3E_KikDL/view?usp=sharing
For someone to simply say, “But, sadly, life is often tradeoffs”, I guess the same could said about the “struggling (cannabis) economy” in Southern Humboldt, Careful what you wish for you can’t eat money…
Please provide your source for “We know that 95% of the vendors….. are from outside Humboldt County.”
That’s rich coming from you, since you do not want to provide sources, who you claim have all benefited from ROTR, as I have asked twice and ben ignored. Good luck with that…
I imagined you as a man who has good comprehension. Not sure now. What I wrote was, “It was said many times that ‘our organization gets most of it’s annual income from ROTR!’” I heard that said MANY times. I didn’t read a survey, do a study.
You, Ed, wrote, “We know that 95% of the vendors and all the headliner entertainers are from outside Humboldt County. I’m asking HOW do you, and all the rest of “we” come to know that?
I experience you resisting an answer. Can you back up with facts, what you/ we supposedly “know”?
ROTR Instagram and facebook pages gives a list of vendors, you should check them out…
Ed, reggae on the river did not take place in 2023. They had Reggae Legacy, a one day show.
Sun tan lotion streaks in the river. Thousands of people jumping in the only hole left in that stretch by August. Piss and plastic. I’m not measuring the contaminants I’m just using common sense. You’re justifying why we should allow the river to be so heavily abused for….money. For money. Because we like money. That’s a classic road to hell, brother…or should I say “Bowing down to Babylon”
Never thought I’d agree with Ed. But I do. Get off the river. What an assault on the lives of wildlife so a bunch of folks can get down and dirty, dance and get drunk/high to some of the most monotonous music on the planet. It’s all the same, over and over and over again. Been there. Done that. Never again. Ew.
this is an over simplification of what happens. “Folks get down and dirty, dance and get drunk or high”. Mentioning how you don’t like the music… Come on be a serious person. Music and this festival do a lot for a whole lot of people well beyond Humboldt. I am not suggesting none of what is being said is valid, I suggesting you are over simplifying the intangible benefits people get from this experience
Agreed
Deep cash pockets have evaporated.Nostalgia wise miss TRUE ROTR. It has been far from.its humble, insightful beginnings for over a decade now. Drugs, BS, trashy attitudes have erased its ROOTS. $ That’s it now $. The new date range when the party crowd heads off to university, that could be impactful to attendance.
No matter how long we kick the can down the road it will not change the outcome.
The core of ROTR is long gone. A few misogynistic dudes fist pumping long past their days of God n glory.
The organization obviously didn’t take any opinions from the production crews. These new dates give 4 days to haul into nevada. The equipment. It was already stressful enough having 14 days.
Haul what equipment to Nevada for what event? Please explain.
Hey Are You Going to Burning Man?….https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkiPRxFztVQ