The Midwest Reggae Fest marked its 20th anniversary last August at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park, that bastion of nature and camping and smokable herbal remedies in rural Garrettsville. But it appears the fest’s next 20 years will start with a change of venue.
“It was their suggestion that we look around for someplace else,” says the fest’s founder and promoter, Packy Malley. At issue, evidently, was not the event’s Woodstock-revivalist bent, but park management’s own concern over whether the place would even be open to accommodate Malley’s three-day bash.
Rather than waiting around to see if Nelson Ledges gets its act together, Malley has sought to close a deal with an intriguing new locale: Wendy Park on Whiskey Island, adjacent to downtown Cleveland. While the site wouldn’t allow for camping, it also wouldn’t require a GPS and all-terrain vehicle to find.
But with a new venue comes a new problem — one shared by Cleveland’s other show promoters: the city’s daunting admissions tax, an 8 percent tariff on the price of each ticket sold.
The tax has sent a shiver down the spine of established clubs like the Beachland and Peabody’s, which have been thrown to the verge of financial crisis now that the city has come calling for unpaid taxes in recent times. The tax, they argue, is far steeper than those paid in other cities across the U.S. For a one-off event like Reggae Fest, with profit margins that start small and tend to get smaller, it could leave a promoter like Malley thousands of dollars in the red.
“This will bring a lot of people into the city, when I could just as well be doing it someplace else,” he says. “I’m hopeful we can work something out.”
Malley says he’s talking with the city, though the city is not talking with Scene.
This article appears in Jan 25-31, 2012.
Wow…All the stoners in Northeast Ohio in Wendy Park for 3 days? CPD is gonna get some revenue generation going on!!!!
“it also wouldn’t require a GPS and all-terrain vehicle to find”
One of the dumbest things I’ve seen written in this hag for some time! Really, the place is right off of a state route, and any knucklehead who can find 422 can find this place. Given whiskey island is easier to find, but easy on the dramatics sister, this is not a fiction piece is it?
Yes it will bring people to the city alright…. it just might bring the wrong caliber of people. No one needs to polute the city anymore and smoke their brains out near the water or Whiskey Island. Whiskey Island and Edgewater Park are already spotty and sketchy places to go. They need to keep this music fest at Nelson Ledges or at a campground where there aren’t any roads for people to get on and drive after they’ve gotten high for three days. Cleveland is trying to bulid UP the city, not polute it with the wrong people and drug acts that will take place at this event.
Sorry, ThorCleve but not all reggae music-loving aficionados subscribe to the stereotype you associate with them. I attended MidWest Reggae Fest for the first time last year – took my eight-year old daughter – and was pleased to discover that it was full of peace-loving, considerate thirtysomethings – not a burdensome group of potsmokers and rebel rousers you would like to believe they are. To placate your rather adolescent view: What about the 50,000 drunk Browns fans at the stadium 8 weeks out of the year? Or, the casino being built. ThorCleve, lasso your narrow views around an anchor and drown it in the Erie: nobody has time for your likes around here anymore.
People..people…! I know anybody can write anything on these pages but if you have never been to the Mid West Reggae Fest I’m sure it is much different than what you think. For 20 years the crowds have been very family friendly and professional security companies can back that up. One of Cleveland’s best musical artist is Carlos Jones & the PLUS Band. Go to one of their concerts or attend any of the outdoor events his band plays at. It is a very peaceful and friendly crowd. They play the art museum, Wade Oval Wednesday and everywhere else around town. We all need to be more tolerant of people and music that might be a little different than what we are used to. I am the promoter of the reggae festival and I want to bring life and energy into the city of Cleveland. The festival will bring out of towners as well. This is a good and positive thing for Cleveland. I suggest you come to the festival and bring your family…you will have a great time! Contact me in August. Reggae fans love to sing-a-long to Bob Marley when he sings “One Love, One Heart, Let’s get together and fee all right.”
It’s ridiculous, but not surprising, to see people commenting on the type of people they believe- without any first hand knowledge- will attend this event. I plan on taking my 2 year-old daughter to the MWRF this year for the first time this summer. My 7 & 5 year-old daughters, who have been to the last 3 at the Ledges, always look forward to this festival. It’s a great family event with tons of beautiful children their age to dance, hula hoop, swim, and play with.
Packy Malley has done a terrific job in putting together one of the premier reggae festivals in the country. It’s unfair and irresponsible to generalize and label the attendees as “stoners.” I am not so naive as to not understand that the general population tends to associate the sweet sounds of reggae music with the use of marijuana, but when was the last time you went to ANY concert without getting a whiff of sensi? If you talk to the owners and employees of Nelson’s Ledges, they will have a difficult time naming another event that attracts more loving, accepting, and overall pleasant people. The price of admission alone (which, considering the number of bands & quality of the talent, is a bargain) helps keep the riff raff out, as the crowd tends to be there for the entertainment first and foremost.
For those of you that insist on declaring this event as being “sketchy” and filled with “the wrong caliber of people,” I leave you with something to think about- the title of the first single Bob Marley recorded- “Judge Not.”
Hey ThorCleve… I’m a 57 year old fiscally conservative operations manager with IRS CAF Certification and I’M A REGGAE LOVER. Does that fit into your stereotype? “Wrong caliber of people”? I’mm wondering if that includes the staff members from Ohio State Attorney General’s office that camped next to me last year?
Reggae is positive, loving, accepting, family-friendly, without bad language lyrics. It celebrates peace and love. Come see Carlos and the PLUS band at Shooters some summer Sunday and revel in all the children dancing and playing percussion. Go to the venerable Barking Spider Saturday night 1/28 to take in Jah Messengers, one of Cleveland’s first reggae bands…. or on the same night SEE-I / Revolution Brass Band / One Vybe at the Grog Shop. There is a ton of reggae talent here in the NEO.
And I’m sorry… I LOVE my Lake Erie and frequent Edgewater Park and Whiskey Island 3 seasons a year. It’s why I stay in Cleveland.
Come to the reggaefest and bring the kids. I think you’ll love it. There will be fine food, dynamite jerk chicken, vegan food, hand made goods, and I know that Mitch of DyeHearts will have a booth with some of the best tie dye around. One Love!
Well, I don’t think I can say it any better than the last 4 posters here: if you had ever been there, then you’d know better than to rely on old tired stereotypes and generalizations. This music opens hearts and minds, and we sure could use a lot more of that! Thanks to all of the wonderful people in Cleveland who support the POSITIVE vibration! We welcome any and all to partake and see what it feels like – and you don’t even have to smoke it!
ONE LOVE
I was a little disappointed when i heard the news ,but i’m going to be optimistic and as long as im with good people like the Malleys ,the Jones ,Susie and so many others in the Northeastern Ohio Reggae family im sure this years Reggaefest will bring Goodtimes ,good friends ,good music and that One Love feeling that could be nothing but Positive for our little Village of Cleveland . One Love ,One Spirit,One World
Tommy Reggae
Not to repeat exactly what everyone else said, but as soon as I read ThorCleve’s comment, I thought “wow, someone has obviously never experienced MWRF”
I went with my aunt Carolyn and her friends for the first time this year and had an AMAZING time. I was 17, and don’t smoke. I liked it because it was fun, it WAS family friendly, and everyone was nice. People don’t go just to smoke -.- That just… grinds my gears someone would be so stereotypical.
The only wrong kind of people in this world are people that use phrases like “the wrong kind of people”. What a bunch of intolerant, uneducated, nonsense. Thor my ass, more likely pencil stub. Schmuck.
People fear & mock what they dont understand. If they opened their minds, they would most likely have the time of their lives. But closed-minded people are stuck in the only world they want to be in & dont have the courage to venture out of their comfort zone. Too bad for them, they must live a tedious life. I support The Quarrey always, they can try & shut it down, & i would be devastated but they can never shut down the music, vibes, friendship & community that will always be, regardless of where the festival is played.
wow thorcleve you have obviously never been to a reggae concert or festival in your life..last year at nelson ledges you would have seen the best of the best people in the world,people with compassion for other’s..People that would help you out any chance they get..I myself lost my brand new 300 dollar digital camera not once but twice there and it was returned to me each time..That really touched my heart and that shows you what type of people who go to reggae shows…and yes your right i and alot of people smoke marijuana and groove to music and dance and invite the reggae vibes into our hearts…This world would be alot better place if there were more people like us and less people like you polluting the media and government,nothing but a bunch of close minded pea brains with nothing better to do but tell me what i can and should be able to do..Everyone should come out and spend a day at reggae fest and see exactly what its all about for themselves..it will be nothing but a great time with no stress!!
You might be surprised that many of the people who go to the MWRF are the same normal, friendly, responsible people that you work with, do business with, go to church with, etc. Reggae fans, just like fans of all genres of music, come from all walks of life. One of the wonderful things about the fest is that no matter who you are, whether young or old, black or white, rich or poor, you’ll find yourself among people who are non-judgmental and genuinely loving toward one another, not because of chemical inducements but because these people are real humanitarians. I wouldn’t have taken my then-17-year old niece if it were otherwise and I wouldn’t hesitate to take my much younger niece either. Classifying everyone who likes reggae music (or rap or metal or whatever) as the “wrong kind of people” or as “stoners” or any other label goes against one of the principles of reggae music – One Love – something we could sure use a lot more of in this country these days.
Thank you Packy and Carlos and the entire Cleveland reggae family for all you do!
Wow ThorCleve!! Have you ever met a random stranger that would be willing to give the shirt off their back if you needed it? How about hundreds of strangers? These are the type of people you will find at MWRF. Friendly, caring, loving people who have respect for each other and for Mother Earth. Just because we like reggae music doesn’t mean we are the “wrong” kind of people. In fact, I’m pretty sure this world would be better off if more people were open to different cultures and ideas. MWRF encourages this.
I am looking forward to MWRF at Wendy Park, as it’s one of my favorite spots in this city. Great music, great people, great venue….what more can ya ask for? Packy – keep up the amazing work you do….it’s much appreciated! <3
Give Thanks ! We are looking forward to the MWRF at Wendy Park ! It will be a new look and great for the city of CLEVELAND OHIO ! WE JAH MESSENGERS REGGAE BAND cant wait ! Its better than no REGGAE FEST ! jah bless…
Simple solution: According to state law, the property line at Lake Erie extends to the mean water level. So, just park a few BIG-ASS barges tied together on the lake about 20 feet offshore and it’ll be outside the city boundaries, hence no city admissions tax!!! Worse comes to worse, provide a water taxi to the barges from outside the city limits.
Hmmm, come to think of it, the William G. Mather is actually outside the city limits, use it.
I have never had any negative vibes @ these shows , even when i have played them starting back in the day ..back when it all started ! Carlos can agree with me …. The music supports PEACE, LOVE, AND UNITY NEVER Bad vibes !! LIVING 2GETHER AS 1 ,So thorcleve until you try 1 you cannot judge what you don’t know!! To Packy good luck in getting the fest going ! Three days of peace , love , family, friends, and Jahs music can not be beat …. PEACE OUT ! CHOPPER
Another short-term, superficial decision to raise taxes by city bureaucrats! Hasn’t this city done enough to chase away business and discourage new business and events with poor management and corruption? The city is lucky to have events like the MRF, an event that promotes unity, family and peace, not to mention more business. Please call your councilman and tell them enough with taxes!!!
I am very excited to bring my family to a big reggae event so close to home!
Jim Elios, Avon Lake reggae-music lover.
Whiskey Island….hmm…makes me thirsty.
City of Cleveland better not blow this. A ReggaeFest on the waterfront will bring even more people to downtown Cleveland. CANT WAIT until its finalized & the lineup is annnounced.
1 let’s not overstsate this tax thing. Packy can charge it into the ticket price, $0.80 per $10.
2 you have to drive out to Edgewater to get to Wendy park, so noone is going downtown or even to the flats, Detroit-Shoreway & Lakewood are going to benefit.
3 does anyone know where the nearest camping is? probably 1/2 the out of towners are going to want to camp.
” probably 1/2 the out of towners are going to want to camp.”
EXACTLY!!!! I am so disappointed to hear that the event has been moved. Last year was our first time at the MWRF and we were planning on coming back untill we heard about the move I hope this turns out great for the fest, but I don’t plan on attending because of the lack of camping. I also looked at the location of the park and it seems like traffic is going to be a nightmare. With only one road in and out of the park, I wish the event planners good luck finding a solution. Maybe next year when all the kinks are ironed out and more info is available so it’s not a last minute hotel booking situation, we MIGHT come back.
I also find it disappointing that after the talk of Nelson Legdes not being open, that there is another festival scheduled for the same weekend as the MWRF.
My feelings exactly on the last comment!! Last year was our second for the MWRF and we were so disappointed when the venue was changed. One of the coolest things about the Reggae fest was the camping and swimming in the beautiful lake. You could listen to music, cruise the vendors, eat some great jamaican food and crash at your campsite. Heaven!! We have been to Whiskey Island for another event and getting in on that road was horrible and the event wasn’t even as big as MWRF. Sadly, since we are from out of the area, we won’t be attending this year. Nelson Ledges has a full schedule of events all summer long, so something just doesn’t seem right here. Just my opinion, though.