Downtown Kent hosts live reggae and more at music festival

More than 14 different locations in downtown Kent joined together Friday evening with different reggae musicians to present the Reggae Jam Music Festival.

Many locations hosted different types of music from reggae to island tunes.

Buffalo Wild Wings hosted the reggae band Rhodes Street Rude Boys, all sporting Bob Marley shirts and playing a variety of reggae songs.

Alyssa Cross, who is a senior at Canfield High School was visiting this past weekend for a college visit.

“Kent is one of my top choices for school and seeing events take place like this really make me excited to possibly go here,” Cross said.

As some locations featured reggae music, Tree City Coffee and Pastry hosted a bluegrass band called Syrup. The band, made up two guitars, a banjo and a mandolin, said they were excited to be there, according to guitarist and vocalist Jon Toohey.

“We have been a bluegrass band for four years and are approaching our fifth year,” Toohey said.

The fourth annual Reggae Jam is the last music festival of the year that will be put on by East Main Street, but next year will include three more festivals downtown. 

Contact Bailey Purpura at [email protected].