Last year, after years at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park in Portage County, Midwest Reggae Fest promoter Packy Malley decided to try something a little different. For the festival’s 21st year, he moved it to Whiskey Island, just west of downtown Cleveland. The change didn’t work out so well. The Friday night roster was canceled; Sunday’s show was moved to the Beachland Ballroom. And bad weather kept down Saturday’s attendance. Plus fans missed the camping and the freewheeling atmosphere of Nelson Ledges, which attracted out-of-town festgoers.
So Malley has announced that the festival will be moving back the Nelson Ledges. The 2013 event will take place Friday August 9 through Sunday August 11, with the lineup still to be announced.
“A big part of the festival was the camping and swimming,” says Malley. “[Whiskey Island] is a great place; it’s one of my favorite places in Cleveland. I’m considering putting on another event there. But the consensus was most people wanted [the Midwest Reggae Fest] to go back to Nelson Ledges.”
Keep up with updates about the festival here.