Del Mar Still Hosting Reggae

The absence of reggae at this year’s Del Mar Fair near San Diego stirred up complaints from groups who questioned the reason behind the cancellation.

Under pressure from drug prevention organizations last fall, the state-owned fairgrounds banned smoking and approved pat-down searches at reggae concerts, but when the genre was dropped from this year’s fair lineup, local reggae acts and promoters were irked, the San Diego Union Tribune reported.

However, the upcoming Del Mar Racetrack concert series at the fairgrounds has four reggae shows on the books – The Wailers July 31, Common Sense Aug. 14, Steel Pulse Aug. 22 and the Roots, Rock, Reggae festival Sept. 6.