27th Victoria Ska and Reggae Festival Runs June 24-28 with Expanded Footprint

The Victoria Ska and Reggae Festival returns for its 27th year with an enlarged footprint June 24-28, combining free daytime sets in the Inner Harbour with ticketed evening programs at the Victoria Curling Club, Studio 919 and Encore. The multi-venue format leans into both reggae roots and punk energy, with Lagwagon, Souls of Mischief, Bedouin Soundclash and Charly Black topping a diverse bill.

Organizers describe the event plainly: "The longest-running ska and reggae festival in North America is expanding its footprint this summer as it looks to expand upon its record-setting 2025 edition." Ship Point will again host free daytime programming, giving easy access to Islanders and visiting fans, while marquee evening shows will be sold at traditional club locations and late-night Dubwise and Dancehall at Encore.

Festival programming blends international names with local strength. Lagwagon will headline a Victoria Curling Club night show and "makes their festival debut to headline our marquee evening program." The Curling Club address is 1952 Quadra Street, Victoria, BC V8T 4C2. Souls of Mischief and Charly Black are scheduled for Ship Point days, and Bedouin Soundclash appears alongside Clinton Fearon & The Boogie Brown Band on Friday afternoon at the harbour stage. The Black Seeds return to Victoria after a nine-year gap to play the Curling Club on Saturday, joined by Five Alarm Funk and Tanika Charles.

Ship Point daytime lineups are explicitly free and family-friendly. Wednesday, June 24 runs 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM with Bia Ferreira, Train to Roots, Trippycals, Alpha Centauri and Dave O Rama. Thursday and Friday afternoons feature Dr. Ring-Ding, Half Past Two, Bedouin Soundclash, Melafrique and Marcus Visionary among others. Saturday’s Ship Point bill includes Souls of Mischief, Charly Black, Eva Lazarus and Tank Gyal; Sunday closes the harbour series with Antidoping, 1876, Crazy & The Brains and The Bloodwarmers.

Nightlife programming stretches across Studio 919 at the Strathcona Hotel, which will present an all-island showcase of Mindil Beach, Apex Breaks and The New Groovement, and Encore, which hosts a late-night Dubwise & Dancehall set curated by Caleb Hart featuring Nico Supreme, Marcus Visionary, Miss Diva, Skystar and DJ Real West. The festival bill also mixes punk touchstones Against All Authority and Bad Cop/Bad Cop with Island acts like Mean Bikini.

Ticketing is already rolling: festival passes are on sale through Ticketweb, and single-day tickets go on sale Feb. 13 at 10:00 AM PST. Promotional copy frames the weekend as a broad celebration: "Victoria Ska and Reggae Fest marches on with an anarchic celebration of punk, ska, and beyond."

For attendees, the combination of free harbour stages and concentrated night shows makes it straightforward to sample both mainstream headliners and Island showcases without breaking the bank. Local businesses around Inner Harbour and Quadra Street should expect heavier foot traffic over the holiday weekend. Mark calendars, decide which night shows to prioritize and grab single-day tickets when they drop Feb. 13 if you want guaranteed entry to the Curling Club and Studio 919 shows; otherwise, Ship Point afternoons remain open to all.