UNIVERSITY VILLAGE — One year after launching the irie music fest, Reggae Fest Chicago organizers announced the fest won't return to Addams/Medill Park this summer.
On Thursday, fest organizers said they are taking their "island time" curating the second festival, and instead plan to return with a three-day music festival in 2018.
"The 2016 Reggae Fest Chicago One Day One Love concert was a preview of great things to come," a spokeswoman for fest organizers said in a statement.
Kara Salgado with Optimum Events said the first fest "did great last year" at the park and organizers didn't face issues permitting the second annual fest.
"We just needed more time to pull the sponsors and line up together that we wanted" for a three-day event, she said in an email.
A three-day Reggae Fest planned for this August, featuring ska, reggaeton, roots reggae, Caribbean dance hall and world music, was being promoted as late as March.
The 2018 event, planned for Aug. 10-12 at Addams Medill Park, will feature a diverse lineup of reggae legends, up and coming acts and Caribbean food and vendors
A percentage of proceeds from the 2018 event will benefit local non-profit A Safe Haven.
The first-ever Reggae Fest Chicago, produced by Optimum Events and Subterranean, debuted at Addams/Medill Park last August.
Located at 15th Street and South Loomis Street, Addams/Medill Park will host other fests this summer, including the electronic dance Spring Awakening music festival in June and three-day Ruido Fest, a Latin alt music festival, in July.
