For years, the Reggae Rise Up music festival has taken the rhythm and culture of reggae music to fans across the country, and this year, it is finally making its Oregon debut this August at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center. Some of this year’s headliners include Stephen Marley, Iration, Rebelution, Slightly Stoopid and many more. With three days’ worth of incredible food, music and good vibes, Reggae Rise Up is set to be the ultimate summer escape.
According to the Reggae Rise Up website, the festival “promises a one-of-a-kind experience.” Fans will enjoy craft and food vendors, beverage stations while soaking in the sounds of top-tier artists. As one of the few camping festivals that takes place at the Deschutes County fairgrounds, fans get the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the reggae atmosphere while soaking up the sun.
Among the many talented groups taking the stage is Badfish, a popular Sublime tribute band. Badfish began in 2001 when a group of college students came together to put on a one-time show. The performance was so well received that they decided to keep the band going and they’ve been touring ever since. Sublime has always been their biggest inspiration because of their unique ability to blend so many different genres, including reggae. Scott Begin, the drummer of Badfish told the Source, “We have been performing at different Reggae Rise Up festivals throughout the years and have loved being a part of every show. We have become good friends with a lot of the other bands because of how many times we have performed together.” Begin and the band recently started releasing original music and since they don’t perform in the Pacific Northwest very often, they’re looking forward to sharing their music with new fans at this year’s festival. According to Begin, Badfish’s music is “Sublime, vibey, fun” and a set you certainly won’t want to miss.
Another talented artist taking the stage this year is Johnny Cosmic. A singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, Cosmic has been creating and producing music since high school. Throughout his career he has performed with Stick Figure and the KBong & Johnny Cosmic group. He says he loves reggae music for its ability to bring people together and he believes, “It’s one of the best ways I can think of to add beauty into this world.”
Cosmic and his group have performed at the Reggae Rise Up Festival before and are looking forward to seeing the beautiful mountains and landscapes that Oregon has to offer. Be sure to check out their set and listen to their upcoming collaboration album with KBong called ‘Spirit of the Light’ which is set to release on August 29.
This article appears in Source Weekly August 7, 2025.
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