Yah mon, it be time for 25!

The sweet taste of Rasta lemonade, the sunny sounds of island music and the scenes and scents of colorful Jamaica will permeate the Rock Island District Aug. 19-20 as YaMaka My Weekend bounces in for its 25th year of exotic fun.

The festival has enjoyed a hearty and hale run, continuing to draw crowds of all ages downtown for the late summer weekend, and its more than two decade run of fun is attributed to a number of factors. It’s a bit of a staycation for locals, it’s usually during a time of terrific weather, and it’s always fun to experience the tropics in your own back yard.

YaMaka has gone through its share of changes over the years, adding and subtracting different styles of island tunes to reflect the shifting times, and this year’s festival is no different. The unique festival that brings island vibes to downtown Rock Island is typically on the second weekend of August. This year, it takes place on the third weekend, August 19 and 20.

A variety of reggae style music will be performed on two different stages over the weekend. Caribbean style food will also be available through various vendors and a marketplace will offer gifts and novelty items.

For more information, see www.ridistrict.com.

Please leave this field empty

Free Breaking News
Alerts & Daily Digest
In Your Inbox!

Check your inbox to confirm your subscription.

Sean Leary Director of Digital Media

Sean Leary is an author, director, artist, musician, producer and entrepreneur who has been writing professionally since debuting at age 11 in the pages of the Comics Buyers Guide. An honors graduate of the University of Southern California masters program, he has written over 50 books including the best-sellers The Arimathean, Every Number is Lucky to Someone and We Are All Characters.