After the success of last winter's "Marley in the Mountains," organizer Danny Walton was set to bring Ketchum another reggae-inspired event, "Harvesting of the Vibes." Keeping with mountain-town living and culture, "Harvesting of the Vibes" will celebrate fall and the beginning of the winter season.
"'Harvesting of the Vibes' comes right after the Harvest Moon, so it's a fall celebration," Walton said.
The weekend event will take place Friday, Sept. 24, through Sunday, Sept. 26 with a variety of activities and performances at the base of River Run and Ketchum Town Square Plaza.
The weekend will kick off on Friday at 6 p.m. at the base of River Run with the Glow in the Dark LED Night Bocce World Championships. Two-person team entry costs $10 and includes beverages. The event will have a big screen set up to show Dick Barrymore ski movies with DJ Train announcing games every 20 minutes with four games at a time. Fire pits and giveaways will also be a part of the festivities.
"Up to 50 teams can play and I hope every business sponsors a team and all locals can join in," Walton said. "This has never been held anywhere before. Winners will be crowned and will walk away with a set of glow-in-the-dark bocce."
Walton said bocce was so popular this summer at Redfish Lake beaches, camping and at barbecues that a tournament was needed.
"This event planning is really doing well," he said. "It's a great shoulder-season event and this is one of my favorite times of the year. We're creating something new for the town."
Walton said people loved the Marley event and he decided to do it again, only this time it will be about 50 degrees warmer outside.
The main event of the weekend will take place at the Ketchum Town Square with DJ Ken Zen and live music from 6:30-11 p.m. with event supporter and friend Matt Cifrese from Salt Lake City, who will play acoustic guitar, followed by Ethan Tucker and the Grassroots All-Stars. Tucker is featured in a soon-to-be-released Teton Gravity Research ski film. Headliner act Richie Spice will take the stage after Tucker with his well-honed and special reggae talent at 9 p.m.
Spice, from St. Andrew, Jamaica, received the Most Cultural Artist Award at the 13th annual South Florida Reggae Soca Awards in 2005, and he was voted the Male Singer/Singjay of the Year at Jamaica's IRIE FM Awards in 2007. Spice was also honored for his positive musical contributions at the "Black My Story" concert in Kingston, Jamaica, in 2008.
The New York Times listed his 2004 album "Spice in Your Life" among the year's best reggae releases. His 2007 release, "In the Streets to Africa," reached No. 6 on the Billboard reggae chart. One of the album's biggest hits, "Youth Dem Cold," peaked at No. 59 on the Billboard Top 100 singles chart and ranked at No. 29 on Vibe Magazine's best 44 songs of 2007.
Tickets are $10 for the reggae show. Pre-sale show tickets are available at all Atkinsons' Markets, PK's Ski and Sports in Ketchum and individuals supporting the event. Purchasing a pre-sale ticket will enter ticket holders in a drawing for K2 skis and other "niceness," Walton said.
The last event to wrap up the weekend on Sunday will be the free Community Snow Salutations yoga for "Winter Two Thousand Heaven" at the Ketchum Town Square at 11 a.m. The first 50 participants will receive a free mat from Lululemon.
"A variety of yoga teachers will be present for the class," Walton said. "Everyone should wake up and live."
For details, visit marleyinthemountains.com.
Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com
Courtesy photo
Reggae music star Richie Spice will headline the “Harvesting of the Vibes” on Saturday, Sept. 25, at Ketchum Town Square.
