Reggae Geel

Info

Reggae Geel is the biggest reggae festival in Belgium.

Geschiedenis

In 1978 a group of friends from the city of Geel organise their first open-air reggae party. Against all expectations the event turns out to be very successful and opens a perspective for more. Funky Fun Productions vzw is born. From the 3rd year onwards the event consists of 1 live concert and a big party. Reggae Geel moves on nice and easy and finds its place in the summer festival season. The decision is made to move into a higher gear: the new Funky Fun Productions staff decides to focus on a live event. Dutch and Belgian bands get the chance to play before a live crowd and little by little Jamaican bands and packages are invited, which results in a ever growing interest, both from press and audience. A professional promo campagne, far better infrastructure and a clear image result in a bigger attendance.
The 15th birthday of the festival is celebrated with a genuine double bill: a headliner and a support act! People tend to arrive earlier and earlier and we open a second stage in the early afternoon. In the 17 years to follow Reggae Geel keeps evolving and in the best of Jamaican traditions we begin our ‘dancehall night’ on Friday evening. Untill now, the dancehall Friday is the dancehall evening in the country. The programmation keeps on growing and gives room for theatre, circus, stand-up comedy, art, poetry, debattes and all sorts of workshops. From 2005 on we invest in a 3rd stage: the 18” corner, the place to please dub lovers. In 2007 we start a collaboration with ‘Poppunt Vlaanderen’ and organise the ‘Catch a Mic’ contest, in which young talent gets the chance to present themselves to a wider audience. On a European level we become part of the European Reggae Contest, in which live bands get the chance to perform on different reggae festivals all over Europe. In 2009 finally, we honor the origins of reggae by opening a 4th stage: ‘The Skaville Circus’. Lots of ska music in the evening; debates and dub-poetry in the afternoon.
36 years later Reggae Geel is a 2-day reggae festival with a wide programmation on 5 stages, capturing the unique atmosphere of the Caribbean society.