This summer, a major new festival will take place in Rotterdam’s Zuiderpark, a location rich with the city’s musical history: Reggae Roots Rotterdam. The ambitions of its organizers—also known for the highly successful festival CuliNESSE, which attracts 45,000 visitors annually—are high. If it’s up to Reggae Roots, the festival, which can welcome ten thousand visitors in the park, will immediately grow into a yearly tradition in Rotterdam’s festival season. Next week, the name of the first headliner, an international reggae star, will be announced.

“Reggae, more than any other music genre, belongs to Rotterdam,” says festival producer Brendo Festen. “Over the years, so many stars have performed here—even Bob Marley himself. After the recent disappearance of festivals like Reggae Rotterdam and Reggae Woods, it suddenly felt like a gap had opened up. But letting reggae disappear from Rotterdam? We’re not going to let that happen. This music has such a rich tradition here, and we are eager to continue it. We’ll do so in the way the tens of thousands of visitors to our annual events already know us for. We’re going to deliver a beautiful festival production, with great attention to both the lineup and the visitor experience.”

Reggae Roots Rotterdam will be a large-scale event, bringing a full day of international music and culture to Rotterdam across four stages. On July 4th, major international reggae artists will perform on the Main Stage and the Roots Stage. On the Live Stage and Reggae Island, visitors will hear a mix of reggae-related genres such as Afro Dancehall, plus a Soundsystem area featuring international dub artists. Jam sessions will also take place throughout the festival grounds.

In addition to the musical lineup, Reggae Roots offers visitors a diverse range of cultural activities. There will be a festival market, a theatre, and a wide selection of food and drinks. “The culinary offerings go far beyond standard festival fries. A reggae festival simply calls for soul food.” The entire festival program has Rotterdam Roots, ensuring a strong connection with the city.

Reggae Roots is produced by the Rotterdam-based agency Vivre Productions. In addition to CuliNESSE, this agency organizes numerous festivals each year, including IDDF in Schiedam and the Rotterdam Chinese New Year celebration, which attracts thousands of visitors annually. For Reggae Roots, Vivre Productions has partnered with creative producer Rita Omolo.

Tickets
Reggae Roots Rotterdam takes place on Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Zuiderpark, Rotterdam.
The first phase of ticket sales begins this Thursday, November 27, at 12:00 PM via the festival website: reggaeroots.nl/tickets/.
The lineup will be revealed gradually over the coming months.

Editor’s note
Festival: Reggae Roots Rotterdam
Date: Saturday, July 4, 2026
Location: Zuiderpark, Rotterdam