Reggae and Dancehall in Vegas

Las Vegas is most famous for casinos. Right along its legendary strip lies casino after casino where you’ll find huge gaming floors offering hundreds of different gaming options. In almost every single one, you’ll find row upon row of slot machines and a sea of green felt where you can dock and enjoy a few rounds of your favourite table game. 

But Las Vegas doesn’t have a monopoly on casino gaming. For more than 20 years, online casinos have been developing a diverse offering of their own, including a mix of different variants of classics like blackjack. This allows them to cater to almost every type of player, including those that prefer premium and high roller versions of the game. 

This also means Las Vegas needs to offer a lot more to remain attractive to visitors. It is for this reason that the city has turned into a playground for adults, offering everything from regular performances by A-list artists like Céline Dion and Lady Gaga, to conferences and exhibitions like the Consumer Electronics Show. 

Among this smorgasbord of entertainment options, you’ll find a selection of Jamaican delicacies served up, including both reggae and dancehall. 

Fancy sampling these legendary Caribbean exports while you’re in Vegas? Here’s where to go. 

Jammyland

Jammyland is a Vegas bar and restaurant that describes itself as a “stylish locale” which serves up “Jamaican dishes and inventive” drinks. 

Located at 1121 S Main Street, it sits in the heart of the Arts District, a short trip from the main hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. 

Open every day from 5 PM, Jammyland brings a taste of Jamaica to the Nevadan desert. Its kitchen is “always open late” with dishes like 24-hour jerk wings, berbere spiced fries, and rice and peas that pop with flavor. 

Having recently been nominated as one of the top 40 bars in America, there are certainly plenty of great options to wash down your food with. Customers often praise the knowledge of its mixologists and their ability to recommend options that meet your taste. 

In addition to indoor seating, you’ll also find a spacious outdoor area that’s been beautifully decorated with street-style art and plenty of seats in yellow, green, and black. 

Reggae Rise Up

While Jammyland offers a regular dose of Jamaica, the Reggae Rise Up festival serves up a giant dollop of dancehall and reggae once a year. 

Held in Las Vegas each year, Reggae Rise Up has seen acts like The Movement, Slightly Stoopid, Common Kings, Dirty Heads, Soja, J Boog, and Matisyahu perform to large crowds at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center. 

In 2022, the event has been extended to last three days, with a long lineup of reggae and dancehall acts already confirmed. This list includes Rebelution, Stick Figure, Trevor Hall, Atmosphere, Iration, Slightly Stoopid, and Ballyhoo. 

Tickets start as low as $80 for one day of “tier 3” or $200 for the entire three days. 

If you’re planning to attend the full festival, a Reggae Rise Up Vegas vacation package might be a good option for you. 

Prices start at $169 per person for five nights, though there are VIP packages available too. 

This year’s Reggae Rise Up runs from 7th to 9th October 2022. 

Afro Caribbean Nights

If you can’t make it to Reggae Rise Up, another great place to visit is Afro Caribbean Nights. While it doesn’t exclusively play reggae and dancehall, you’ll almost certainly enjoy its mix of genres, which also include SOCA, hip-hop, R&B, and reggaeton. 

Sunday is when you’ll find the most Jamaican tracks blasting through the speakers, though Fridays are also usually a mix of dancehall and house tracks. These are mixed by the five in-house DJs – DJ Maul, DJ Renchy, DJ Kdee, ZJ Flash, and DJ Cypher. 

Located at University Plaza on East Tropicana Avenue, it’s just a couple of blocks away from the strip and a short drive from all of the major hotels and casinos. 

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