WILLIAMSBURG — Billsburg Brewery will host its third annual Reggae on the River music festival this Saturday, and will keep a tradition alive by donating a portion of the proceeds to charity in honor of its late founder, Dave Baum.
“Dave was a heck of a guy,” said Billsburg Brewery’s General Manager Eric Williams in an interview with WYDaily. “He was just a great guy, and there were no strangers. If you met him for just five minutes you’d feel like you knew him for a lifetime. He was just that kind of person.”
To honor Baum, Billsburg Brewery is bringing back reggae artist Mighty Joshua. The artist was one of Baum’s original music choices in 2019 to perform at the first Reggae on the River festival. The brewery is planning on donating a portion of the money made from this year’s festival to a charity that Mighty Joshua has supported for 15 years, The Makindu Children’s Program and its orphanage in Kenya, The Makindu Children’s Center.
“He’s [Mighty Joshua] opened for artists like Ziggy Marley, Steel Pulse, and other bands like that,” said Williams. “One of the things about Mighty Joshua is, for the past 15 years, he goes and supports the Makindu Children’s program, which basically is a children’s center in Kenya. It’s an orphanage, and we’re doing a donation to his charity in Dave’s honor.”
The donations are made from percentages of sales during the festival. The event itself is free and open to the public.
“His [Baum’s] idea for what Billsburg Brewery should be was a place where friends, family, and the community could all come together and have a place to meet, make new friends, and just be this gathering place,” said Williams. “It didn’t matter where you’re from, or what you do, it’s just supposed to be a spot that’s open and inviting for everyone.”
Billsburg Brewery is welcoming back another artist that performed at the second reggae festival, Greg Gutty and The Port of Reign. Greg Gutty is a songwriter from Hampton Roads who has performed all over the country, from New York to Atlanta. Another act added to the lineup this year is iRon Lion, who has opened for acts like The Walers band, Jimmy Cliff, Steele Pulse, Don Carlos, and others.
There will be four food trucks at the event: Carmen’s Authentic Jamaican Cuisine, Bali Bali, The Hungry Pug, and Nosh.
Artists start taking the stage at noon Saturday, Sept. 3. The music runs until 10 p.m.
For more information, check out Billsburg Brewery’s website.
