Feeling the vibe: Rogue World Music Festival rocks Ashland

The festival closed with a performance by Maraval Road, a steel drum band from Southern Oregon University. The group played high-energy calypso, soca and panorama music. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
May 27, 2024

After Friday workshop and show in Medford and storytelling Saturday in Talent, expanded festival brought six hours of music to Lithia Park on Sunday

It was an afternoon to dance at the ninth annual Rogue World Music Festival at Butler Bandshell in Lithia Park. The weather cooperated with a cloudless sky and a high of about 79 degrees Sunday. The festival is in its ninth year and is put on in collaboration with the Ashland Parks & Recreation Commission.

Sophia Blanton, Development and Events Manager for Rogue World Music Festival, kicked off its ninth annual festival at the Lithia Park bandshell Sunday, highlighting culture-bearing musical artists. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
The first performance of the festival was Hālau Hula Ka Pi’o O Ke Ānuenue, a Hawaiian Cultural Dance School based in Ashland, Oregon. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
A Hālau Hula Ka Pi’o O Ke Ānuenue dancer performs in the ninth annual Rogue World Music Festival in Lithia Park Sunday. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Food trucks and booths, including a make-your-own-snow-cone stand, kept attendees fed at the Rogue World Music Festival. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Seffarine had the crowd up and dancing to classical Arabic and Andalusian music with original music influenced by Spanish flamenco, classical Persian music, and American jazz. Lead singer Lamiae Naki is from Morocco. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Duniya, an Afro-fusion band of musicians from Mali, West Africa and California led by lead Singer Mariam Diakate put on a vibrant show Sunday. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
La Doña, a musician and singer from San Francisco, began her career at age 7 playing trumpet and led her band Sunday at Butler Bandshell in Lithia Park. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
A man blows bubbles at the Rogue World Music Festival in Lithia Park Sunday. The festival is in its ninth year and is put on in collaboration with the Ashland Parks & Recreation Commission. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Festival attendees enjoyed dancing to music by the John Mambira Band during their performance in Lithia Park Sunday. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
John Mambira and his band performed music from regions of southern Africa including Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
It was an afternoon to dance at the ninth annual Rogue World Music Festival at Lithia Park. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
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Bert Etling

Bert Etling is the executive editor of Ashland.news. Email him at betling@ashland.news.

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