Ticket Information for Austin Reggae Festival 2026
With Travis County hemp in the news, 4/20 right around the corner, and almost Caribbean-levels of humidity outdoors, it sure seems like the perfect time for Austin Reggae Festival 2026. And while we don’t know whether or not we’ll get a complete respite from April showers out at Auditorium Shores, our Reggae Radar reports a 100% chance of great music (plus plenty of airhorn, dub delay, and timbales) in the forecast Friday through Sunday.
A beloved rain-or-shine institution of the Live Music Capital since the mid-’90s, Austin Reggae Festival has always been a great snapshot of the sound system subculture and a guaranteed good time from open to close all three days. Because once again, the fest has assembled a steamy lineup of international acts, historical icons, and Grammy Award winners and multi-Grammy nominees. And not only do some of the proceeds benefit Central Texas Food Bank, but kids 10 and under get in free! So let’s break down who all we’re most excited for this year.
Stephen Marley (Friday 8:30-10PM)
Recommending Stephen Marley is like recommending The Beatles – it’s kind of a no-brainer. And even if you only know the bare minimum about Reggae, you know it’s gonna be good based on Marley’s surname alone. The fourth of Bob Marley’s eleven children, Stephen’s racked up nine Grammy Awards and twelve Grammy Nominations over his nearly-half-century career. He’s got an incredible presence both on-stage (be it solo acoustic or with a full electric band) and in-studio (as a producer or through one of his many extremely generous features). We could go on and on but…you get the picture; there’s more than one good reason that Stephen’s the Friday night headliner and you gotta see him if you haven’t already.
Steel Pulse (Friday 7-8PM)
As with Stephen Marley, Steel Pulse is a legacy act that every Reggae fan ought to see at least once. And though they’re originally from Birmingham, England (the first non-Jamaican artist to receive the Grammy for Best Reggae Album at that), Steel Pulse ranks up there with Kingston outfits Third World, Black Uhuru, and Inner Circle in terms of classic acts that are inseparable from Reggae’s lengthy evolution. ’nuff said.
Original Koffee (Saturday 8:30-10PM)
When she was just nineteen, Koffee (as she was mononymously known until last April) made history as both the youngest artist and the first female artist to win the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. And that sense of youth is prevalent throughout her music, which leans into the melodic Pop/Trap/Afrobeat side of the Reggae-Dancehall junction. Heck, she even had a song with Gunna in the Grand Theft Auto V soundtrack. Talk about keeping Reggae relatable and accessible to younger generations.
Protoje (Sunday 7-8PM)
An early musical inspiration for Original Koffee (and fellow GTAV soundtrack contributor), Protoje is another Jamaican who’s made big impacts on contemporary Reggae. For more than two decades now, the two-time Grammy Nominee’s used his unique voice to re-contextualize the riddims of Shabba Ranks and the guitar skank of The Wailers for modern audiences. This Friday sees the release of Protoje’s tenth full-length The Art of Acceptance, which features fellow Reggae Fest acts Jesse Royal and Stephen Marley, among others. So we expect Protoje to in especially good spirits this weekend!
Collie Buddz (Friday 5:35-6:35PM)
Nearly twenty years after introducing us to the modern stoner anthem “Come Around”, Collie Buddz still really leans into the marijuana-themed-music-for-marijuana-enthusiasts angle of Reggae. Don’t believe us? Well his latest LP Take It Easy totes songs like “High Grade (International Herb)” and “No Bush Weed”, lest we forget his 2025 standalone “Spark Up” that paints quite a picture. It’s even right there in his name! Jokes about dope smoking aside, the Bermudian singer-songwriter-producer’s always impressed us, and we can’t wait to finally see him in the bush…er, flesh.
Jesse Royal (Sunday 4:25-5:10PM)
We’d file Jesse Royal in a category that also includes Collie Buddz and Protoje – unapologetic cannabis lyricist who’s proven to be a real force in the “Reggae Revival” world. Even outside his Roots expertise, this heavyweight collaborator has shown masterful range with seamless incorporations of Soul, Reggaeton, Hip-Hop and beyond into a well-seasoned sound. In other words, Royal’s got a little something for everyone regardless of subgenre preferences.
And that’s just a quarter of this year’s lineup! To find out more on all twenty-four acts playing Austin Reggae Festival 2026, including tickets and schedule, click the link below.
