Sierra Nevada World Music Festival

Sierra Nevada World Music Festival
Genre	Reggae, world music
Dates	June
Location(s)	Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville, California
Years active	1994–2019, 2021–2023
Founders	Warren & Gretchen Smith
Website	Official website

The Sierra Nevada World Music Festival is an annual music festival held every June on the weekend of (or the weekend following) the summer solstice. It is currently held at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville, California.

History

The festival began in 1994[1] in Marysville, California by organizer Warren Smith.[2] Citing problems with crime in its initial location,[3] organizers moved the festival to Angels Camp, California in 2001.[1] After five years in Calaveras County, fairgrounds management insisted on hiring its own security and billing the festival. Organizers refused, causing the county to void the contract between the two parties.[4] The festival settled in its current location (Boonville, CA), where it has operated since 2006.[5]

Gregory Isaacs at SNWMF 2010

Despite the festival's name, its primary focus is on reggae music,[6] along with a secondary focus on world music acts.[7] The festival boasts a "valley stage" (main stage), "village stage" (secondary stage), dancehall and drum circle,[8] which can all feature music running concurrently.

Along with its many other veteran acts, the SNWMF is notable for being the first to bring Junior Byles abroad,[9] whereupon he performed a 45-minute set in for the festival in 1998.[10]

There was no festival from 2020-2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with founder Smith passing away in 2021.[11]

Festival returned in 2023, carried on by his wife Gretchen. However, disappointing ticket sales in 2024 forced a cancellation close to the start date, with would-be attendees told that the passes were good at Reggae on the River event in the Humboldt County, California in lieu of a refund.[12]

See also

• List of reggae festivals
• Reggae

References

1. Adam, Diane. 8th Annual Sierra Nevada World Music Festival. Niceup.com. 2001. Retrieved 2011-3-5.
2. Milne, Steve. World Music Festival. Capital Public Radio. June 16, 2004. Retrieved 2011-3-5.
3. Sander, Wes. Music festival leaving Marysville. Appeal Democrat. December 11, 2000. Retrieved 2011-3-7.
4. Wolfson, Joshua. Fair cans music fest contract Archived 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine. The Union Democrat. September 16, 2005. Retrieved 2011-3-7.
5. Sierra Nevada World Music Festival 2006 Gets A New Home Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. ReggaeFestivalGuide.com. April 12, 2006. Retrieved 2011-3-5.
6. The Jamaican invasion. Jamaican Observer. June 5, 2014. Retrieved 2014-6-9.
7. Sierra Nevada World Music Festival 2011 Announces Initial Artists Archived 2011-03-19 at the Wayback Machine. World Music Central. February 14, 2011. Retrieved 2011-3-5.
8. McEwan, Bruce. Don Carlos Invades Boonville Archived 2010-12-23 at the Wayback Machine. The Anderson Valley Advertiser. June 24, 2010. Retrieved 2011-3-7.
9. Warren Smith: The Man Behind SNWMF Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine. Skank Productions. Retrieved 2011-3-7.
10. Pierson, Leroy. Sierra Nevada World Music Festival 1998: Junior Byles Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine. SNWMF. Retrieved 2011-3-7.
11. Campbell, Howard (February 14, 2021). "Festival promoter Warren Smith is dead". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
12. Karoff, Timothy (2024-10-15). "'We're f—ked': California's music festival bubble is bursting". SFGATE. Retrieved 2024-10-16.

External links

• Official website

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