Victoria Ska and Reggae Festival

Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival Returns for its 26th year with a Powerhouse Lineup

VICTORIA, BC – Get ready to skank, sway, and celebrate as the Victoria’s 26th Annual Ska & Reggae Festival returns from Wednesday, June 18 to Sunday, June 22, 2025! All shows except the Thursday club are all ages with beverage service for 19 yrs w/ID. Kids 10 and are free with an adult. 

As North America’s longest-running festival of its kind, this year’s edition promises to be one of the most electrifying yet. Victoria’s Inner Harbour will once again turn into a full-blown festival playground featuring ska, reggae, and hip hop legends for five days straight. The best part? Three days of totally free shows: Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday.  Meanwhile the Victoria Curling Club is hosting another handful of spirited shows including a Friday night punk and ska bash and a Saturday reggae-rock party that’ll be dripping in upbeat sun-soaked vibes.

Making their festival debut—and marking the festival’s first pure punk headliner—is PROPAGANDHI, one of Canada’s most revered independent bands. Known for blending melodic punk and thrash metal fury with razor-sharp political lyricism, the group is sure to attract socially conscious moshers from across western Canada. 

THE PHARCYDE, the hip-hop icons behind “Passin’ Me By” and “Runnin’”, bring their unmistakable west coast sound that continues to captivate audiences decades after their debut.

DUB FX (Australia) is back for his third performance on the Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival since 2013 when he opened for Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def. He is sure to impress once again with his one-man beatboxing, looping, and reggae-infused electronic performance. 

We are honoured to welcome JAKOBS CASTLE, featuring Jakob Nowell (performing songs from Sublime and Jakobs Castle). Jakob Nowell, son of late Sublime frontman Brad Nowell, carries on his father’s legacy. Brad passed away in 1996, just two months before the release of Sublime’s iconic self-titled album, which has influenced generations with hits like “Santeria" and “What I Got". Jakob, now the lead singer of Sublime, will honour his dad by mixing in Sublime classics with his own band’s fresh takes on ska and reggae. 

Since her last appearance at the 2019 Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival, SISTER NANCY (Jamaica) returns to perform classics, including “Bam Bam”—reggae’s most sampled song on the “Stalag” riddim.. LONG BEACH DUB ALLSTARS are joining Jakob Nowell to represent the LBC with their signature reggae, ska, and punk fusion.

Festival-goers are in for a treat with SAVE FERRIS, the ska heavyweights led by Monique Powell’s powerhouse vocals; the legendary MAD PROFESSOR & AMARRA (UK), delivering deep, bass-heavy dub straight from the source; and MARLON ASHER, the Trinidad and Tobago reggae artist behind the global hit “Ganja Farmer”.

The festival features global acts rooted in ska and reggae throughout its five-day run, including TURBULENCE (Jamaica), MONTEBONG (Mexico), and LA SEVERA MATACERA (Colombia). 

In addition to having a Canadian headliner, there are other notable Canadian acts confirmed such as Quebec’s worldbeat punk legends GrimSkunk, Ontario reggae-rock favourites iLLScarlett, genre-warping Montreal rapper Waahli, and Dancehall Business & Friends, a cross-cultural BC reggae collaboration with featured guests such as Kia Kadiri, Janelle Reid, and Ndidi Casade. To top things off there are loads of talented local acts including Blackwood Kings, Poor Sport, Sonic Alley, Gun Street Ghouls, and many more. See the full lineup card below. 

Beyond the music, festival goers can enjoy visual art, workshops, food vendors, and interactive experiences, creating an atmosphere of culture and connection. Whether you’re a die-hard ska fan, reggae enthusiast, or just looking for festival vibes, this is one event you won’t want to miss.

Tickets are on sale now on Ticketweb.ca. Hard copies will be available at Destination Greater Victoria (Tourist Info Centre on Wharf Street in Victoria); Fascinating Rhythm (Nanaimo), and Area 51 (Duncan).