The South Bend Reggae Festival has a new name, new schedule and new flair. To mark the 10th annual event, the newly named “South Bend International Festival” has added Blues and Latino music performances and will take place on two days, August 8 and 9, instead of one at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fairgrounds, with overnight camping available.

A stellar music lineup features The Elwood Splinters Blues Band, Los Hermanos Bueno, Darryl Buchanan, Matthew Tembo, JT Buffet, Dub Dis, Zion Lion and sowFlo.

There will be a variety of food booths and arts and crafts vendors. Beer and wine will be available. Coolers aren’t permitted.

Gates open Friday, August 8 at 3 p.m. with music from 5 to 11 p.m.
Gates open Saturday, August 9, at 2 p.m. with live music from 3 p.m. to midnight.

Advance tickets are on sale at all Martins Supermarket stores. The price of an advanced ticket is $13 for each day; a two day pass is available online for $17.

Admission fee at the gate on the day of the event is $10 before 6 p.m. and $15 thereafter. Admission is $10 for students with student I.D. and free for children 12 and under. Discounted tickets are also available online at www.southbendinternationalfestival.com.

Patrons can bring chairs and blankets for lawn seating. Covered seating is available in the grandstand. Camping fees are priced for two days: $25 for car/SUV, $40 for bus/RV.

For more information, go to www.southbendinternationalfestival.com or www.southbendreggae.com.

The festival kicks off Friday, August 8, with the following lineup:

JT Buffet, a duo covering everything from Jimmy Buffet to Bob Marley to Otis Redding.

Elwood Splinters Blues Band, a local favorite playing everything from traditional to contemporary blues and original tunes Los Hermanos Bueno, a Tejano dance band that includes an accordion player, has been performing around the area since 1964.

The sowFlo band from Naples, Florida brings their distinctive acoustic surf-rock/reggae sound to the festival for a second year in a row.

On Saturday August 9:

The IUSB Drum Circle Rhythm Works invites patrons to join in and offers drum lessons.

Los Hermanos Bueno returns for a second high-energy performance.

South Bend-based Soul and R&B artist Darryl Buchanan, discovered and recruited by the legendary Junior Walker, guarantees a dynamic stage show.

African artist Mathew Tembo fuses indigenous Zambia music with contemporary sounds.

Chicago-based Dub Dis Reggae Band draws inspiration from Jamaica’s diverse music influences. Zion Lion Reggae Band of Kalamazoo plays a mix of Reggae, African Zouk, Mukosa, Zoukous and Afro – Latin music.

This year “felt like the right time to rebrand and expand” the festival, said South Bend resident John Pangani, the event’s founder and organizer. Putting together this 10th annual event is a milestone he never expected to achieve when the first festival, a hastily planned but successful event, commenced in a field at South Bend Regional Airport in 2005.

Since that time the venue has changed, a slogan was conceived and proceeds from the festival are being used to aid schools and hospitals in Malawi, Central Africa, Pangani’s native country.

But one thing that will never change, Pangani said, is the festival’s motto, “A Celebration of Peace, Love and Unity.”

“We will always look for ways to reach a wider audience to share in this slogan. It is at the core of our purpose,” he said.