AUSTIN — AUSTIN -- The Austin Reggae Festival has wrapped up another year at Auditorium Shores. The major attraction this year were Bob Marley’s old bandmates, The Wailers.
They were once called "Bob Marley and the Wailers" before Marley's death in 1981. Since then, the band reunited recently, adding new members.
Old members Aston “Family Man” Barrett, Junior Marvin and Donald Kinsey performed.
The Wailers are Barbara Ricketts' top pick at the reggae festival. She grew up in Miami, around a lot of reggae influences, but now lives in Austin.
"Besides the beautiful music and the rhythm and just the loveliness of the music, I love the spirituality of it,” said Ricketts. “It's just feel-good music.”
The festival's promoter explains how The Wailers came to perform here Sunday.
"They tour quite a bit,” said Hugh Forrest. “It just worked out that their scheduling was right. But it's certainly neat to have them here for the 25th anniversary.”
For 25 years, the festival has been helping the Central Texas Food Bank. All proceeds go to them.
"It's grown over the years into this big, three-day festival and it's a ticketed event,” said Mark Jackson, chief development officer with the food bank. “Now, we can raise over a $100,000 this weekend, which is just incredible to think about.”
During the festival's early years, attendees had to bring only cans for the food bank. Now, it's $20 a ticket.
"We get better at getting the word out,” said Forrest. “The talent has gotten better."
Talent like reggae legends The Wailers, keeping the crowds coming.
Even though the festival is over, you can buy tickets for next year beginning next February.