April 3rd 2012

Trying to Remember Sugarloaf Reggae Fest

Some parties are just that good.
Words by Alex Kaufman l STE Online Editor
Memories from Sugarloafers past and present

There’s no shortage of events and concerts at ski areas. By comparison, these are quaint gatherings at your local community center. There is only one Reggae Fest. While the Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge used to rival the scene at Sugarloaf’s Reggae Fest, with the BMMC now retired, there is no argument about the biggest spring party in the East. This year’s is slated for April 12-15. Check out the full schedule. (The one and only Castafari is headlining). 

Where's Waldo? (Sugarloaf photo)

Heading into its 24th year (it all started in April of 1988), the SLRF continues to redefine acceptable levels of public revelry. Since most of the attendees likely have fuzzy memories of their participation, we’ve gathered a few memories from the Sugarloaf team who have been a part of the event from the beginning.

Chip Carey (now at Jackson Hole) was one of the founding fathers of the event and recollects the original planning: “It was spring of 1987 after April Fool’s Day flood. Our big spring event was the Canadian Club Celebrity Cup and our sponsors were not happy with the event being in April after two bad weather years, a low snow year and the finishing blow was the flood.  So we moved that event to January and needed an event for the spring.  I had been hearing about summer reggae festivals doing well so I decided to try one at the ‘Loaf.”

In true “fish story” fashion everyone has his or her own version of events from back in the day. It seems memories seem to get fuzzy at Reggae Fest.

Jon Rollins, Regional Manager, Centerplate (Food Service): “From the very first Reggae Fest it was clear that this would become a Sugarloaf institution. Its beginnings were confined to the Widowmaker and the first event was a glorious spring weekend at the Loaf. Music was scheduled through the weekend inside and out till Sunday at 4pm. The only problem was that at 4pm the sun was shining it was 60 degrees, the Red Stripe was flowing, and there were 300 people dancing on the Widowmaker deck with Chip Carey right in the middle of the crowd. Chip was having such a great time, along with the rest of the partying Sugarloafers, that he decided to pass the hat through the crowd and got a few hundred dollars to have the band play on, which they did until sunset. The rest is history.”

Jeff Kennedy, Broker, Mountainside Real Estate: “I can't remember exactly what year but it was one of the first. My brother was visiting from Jersey and it was one of those perfect spring weekends, tons of snow and warm weather. We were busy in the office and I ended up having to work all day on Sunday and I remember walking back to the office around 5:00, thinking it was all over and I had missed it. I went to the Beach to look for my brother and head home but when I got there the music was over but there were 1000 + people refusing to go home and wanted more. Unbeknownst to me, Chip was renegotiating with the band and had to shell out cash of his own to get the band to come back out, he was successful and we partied till the sun went down!”

Brad Larsen, VP of Sales and Marketing: “Each year, we hang lots of banners around the resort to promote Reggae Fest. The biggest one is our over-the-road banner, which is held up by two large poles on either side of the road. We expect to have several banners stolen from the Beach each year, but last year a real entrepreneur took it a step further. Late on Saturday night he rammed his car into one of the two poles supporting the over-the-road banner, knocked it down, stole the banner, and drove off with it.”

Disclaimer: Theft is bad and if you stole our Ski The East banners at Jay Peak this year, bad karma on you.

With any event of this magnitude, the origination of it is always a subject of lore and occasional disagreement. Any good religion has some divergent themes, and Sugarloaf's Reggae Fest borders on a skiers religious experience for the thousands that make the trek.

Deb Lander, Rental Program Manager: Deb shared a bit about the origins of Reggae Fest. According to her, the idea for a Reggae Festival originated at the Sugarloaf Inn in the mid 80s, when they used to do a “Reggae and Ribs” night. They would hire a Reggae band, and have specials on prime rib dinners. The night became popular and eventually expanded to take over the conference rooms at the Inn. In true Reggae Fest fashion though, it quickly grew too big and caused too many complaints from guests staying in rooms above the bar for the Inn to continue. After that, Reggae and Ribs migrated to the Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel, and a few years later became an official weekend-long Sugarloaf event.

What is not up for discussion is that the only spring event in the East that still qualifies as an annual pilgrimage is Reggae Fest. Jah Bless.

There's Waldo. (Sugarloaf photo)


There's no shortage of user generated reggae rockus on the internet. Here's one of the most well rounded and PG-13.