The 26th annual Victoria Ska & reggae Festival will feature hip-hop icons, the son of a ska-punk legend, the first lady of dancehall and the festival’s first pure punk headliner.
The 2025 festival lineup was announced Friday February 21, 2025.
Punk band Propagandhi will make their Victoria Ska & Reggae Fest debut. Known for blending melodic punk and thrash metal fury with sharp political lyricism, the group will headline a punk and ska bash at Victoria Curling Club Friday June 20, 2025. Joining them will be Orange County’s Save Ferris, best known for their cover of Dexys Midnight Runners’ ‘Come on Eileen’. GrimSkunk, Punitive Damage and Victoria’s Grossbuster will also perform Friday at the curling club.
Los Angeles hip-hop group The Pharcyde will bring their unmistakable west coast sound to Ship Point on the Saturday with hits like ‘Passin’ Me By‘ and ‘Runnin’‘. The first lady of dancehall, Sister Nancy returns to Victoria Ska & Reggae Fest for the first time since 2019. Rounding out Saturday at Ship Point are Marlon Asher, Dancehall Business & Friends and Tank Gyal.
Jakob Nowell, the son of the late Sublime frontman Brad Nowell, will bring his band Jakob’s Castle to Victoria to form a mix of Sublime classics and his own band’s take on ska and reggae. They’ll headline Saturday’s late show at Victoria Curling club with Long Beach Dub Allstars, Mad Professor & Amarra, Black wood Kings and Roger Rivas
Australia’s Dub FX brings his one-man hip-hop, reggae and drum and base infused rhythms back to the festival for a third time headlining the ticketed show at Ship Point Friday. He’ll be supported by Victoria’s Lazy Syrup Orchestra as well as Ed Solo & Navigator and DJ Dbuconscious.
Other global acts in the lineup include Turbulence from Jamaica, Mexico’s Montebong and La Severa Matacera from Colombia.
Thursday night will feature the festival’s only 19+ show with an all-island ska/punk showcase at Wicket Hall featuring SweetLeaf, porr sport, Safe Decisions and Hot Pot.
Victoria Ska & Reggae Fest 2025 takes place Wednesday June 18 to Sunday June 22, 2025. The festival will feature three days of free live music at Ship Point on the Wednesday Thursday and Sunday. Ticketed shows will take place Friday and Saturday at Ship Point and the Victoria Curling Club. Thursday night will feature the only 19+ show at Wicket Hall. The rest of the festival is all-ages.
Tickets will go on sale Friday February 28 at 10am at TicketWeb.ca. Physical tickets will also be available at Destination Greater Victoria, Fascinating Rhythm in Nanaimo and Area 51 in Duncan. Full festival pass $182.03 and VIP full festival passes are $270.03. Tickets to individual ticketed shows at Ship Point and Victoria Club are $49.95 to $65.
Full festival details are available at victoriaskafest.ca
Schedule:
Wednesday June 18, 2025
Ship Point (Free show): Waahli | Hezron | The Resignators | Gun Street Ghouls | DJ Cabin Fever
Thursday June 19, 2025
Ship Point (Free show): Turbulence | La Severa Matacera | Spiritual Warriors | Sonic Alley | Ari Dublion
Wicket Hall (tickets $22.50 – $29.95): Sweetleaf | poor sport | Safe Decisions | Hot Pot
Friday June 20, 2025
Ship Point (tickets $49.95 – $65): Dub FX | Lazy Syrup Orchestra | Ed Solo & Navigator | DJ Dubconscious
Victoria Curling Club (tickets $49.95 – $65): Propagandhi | Save Ferris | Grimskunk | Punitive Damage | Grossbuster
Saturday June 21, 2025
Ship Point (tickets $49.95 – $65): The Pharcyde | Sister Nancy | Marlon Asher | Dancehall Business & Friends | Tank Gyal
Victoria Curling Club (tickets $49.95 – $65): Jakob’s Castle | Long Beach Dub Allstars | Mad Professor & Amarra | Blackwood Kings | Roger Rivas (of the Aggrolites DJ Set)
Sunday June 22, 2025
Ship Point (Free show): IllScarlett | Montebong | Devon Kay & The Solutions | Brasser | Razorvoice
