Island Reggae Festival Brings Irie Vibes to Mainland

Originally posted on SURFER | By Jake Howard | Last updated Oct 24, 2025 12:53 PM ET

Like the gentle trades, swaying palms, and motion in the ocean, spend a few winters on the North Shore and the Island reggae vibrations soak into your soul. Cruising with the local radio station laying down the soundtrack, it's as much a part of the Hawaiian surf experience as a beach park surf check or smoothie at the Waialua Bakery. And like so many things in Hawaii, it's just not the same back on the mainland.

But on November 1, a celebration of Island reggae, the Holo Holo Music Festival, is coming to Irvine, California. Headlining the show is Island stars Maoli and J Boog, along with reggae legends Steel Pulse.

Maoli’s music's rooted in the ukulele rhythms of his Maui upbringing with shades of country music's storytelling tradition. Over nine albums he's amassed over half a billion global streams and continues to make music for anyone chasing the horizon. Meanwhile, J Boog's been deeply influenced by reggae, island soul, R&B, and the Pacific Ocean. Originally from Long Beach, Grammy-nominated Boog traces his heritage back to Samoa. His 2011 album "Backyard Boogie" topped the Billboard Reggae Albums chart and featured hits like “Let’s Do It Again” and “Sunshine Girl."

The Holo Holo Music Festival was launched in Northern California in 2022 and was "born from a love of island and reggae music—a genre deeply rooted in connection, culture, and movement." Over the last three years they've landed in San Diego, Las Vegas, and Sacramento. This year they're also expanding to Irvine, Oceanside, Utah, and Tacoma, as well as returning to San Diego and Sacramento. Among the list of event sponsors is longtime SURFER support OluKai.

"Growing up in Ewa Beach, O'ahu, island music and reggae were the soundtracks of my childhood. These styles—the heartbeat of the islands—are the backbone of my work as a festival producer and venue owner," explains Good Vibez Presents co-owner and event mastermind Dan Sheehan. "A big part of Good Vibez Presents is about discovery, and I'm honored to showcase and celebrate these artists at Holo Holo Festivals."

We've already seen opening day at Pipe, and winter's knocking on the door. If you find yourself in Orange County next weekend, it's the perfect time to vibe it up and tap into that Hawaiian state of mind.

Tickets available here.

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: