Main Street Kent and Crooked River Arts Council will host its annual Kent Reggae, Island and Jam Band Music Festival this Friday.

The festival will take place with over 13 participating venues, including Ray’s Place, Water Street Tavern, Zephyrs Pub, Pufferbelly Ltd. and Tree City Coffee & Pastry.

Since it’s conception in 2012, Kent Reggae Jam Festival has provided live music to various venues for free and allows festival-goers to experience a positive atmosphere of music consisting of reggae and island music.

Derek Rudy, the public relations marketer for the event, said that over the years, the festival has grown to be more inclusive of other genres that are similar to reggae music.

“Some of the bands that we have performing (put) their own twist on reggae music, whether it be bands that adopt a Jimmy Buffet feel (or other artists),” Rudy said.

Rudy also said that though the festival changed its name this year, it is still same festival that the city of Kent has come to love.

The event starts at 5 p.m. and ends at 11 p.m. It will take place over various locations around downtown Kent so that festival-goers can choose their preference of locations.

Angelo Angel is an entertainment reporter for The Kent Stater. Contact him at [email protected].