The location of the seventeenth edition of Rototom Sunsplash has been announced and it will be taking place in Spain in the town of Benicassim, situated on the Mediterranean coast in the province of Castellon, just 88km from Valencia, from 21st to 28th August. It should promise to be a very good venue as the hospitality of this place and its 17,000 inhabitants has been widely demonstrated by its hosting of one of Europe’s major international indie rock festivals – ‘Fib’. This year will be no exception with that festival due to be held there between the15th and 18th July.

The Rototom Sunsplash has grown to become the biggest reggae gathering in Europe with crowds in the region of 130,000 people gathering every year from around the world. The festival is regarded as the European ambassador for the Jamaican reggae scene and now through all its side activities has also become a recognised voice for peace, human rights, sustainable development and positivity – in a conscious effort to build “Un altro mondo possible” (another possible world). It is for this reason that the event has been relocated away from Italy as the organisers feel that the “intolerance of Italian politics towards these values and above all any model of society that values different cultures and multi-racialism” has made holding the event there, for now, unattainable.

Despite the change in location festival organisers say they will maintain its musical format: as well featuring the usual meetings, debates, courses, art exhibitions, films and documentaries, meditation seminaries, holistic therapies and many other activities, largely from non profit organisations. A spokes person for Rototom Sunsplash has said that “The objectives of this new phase are to remain true to its history despite the new location, bringing the Spanish reggae scene opportunity to consolidate while continuing to bridge the gap between Europe and the Caribbean. This will definitely be favoured by to the fact Spain enjoys close ties with the Americas where reggae music already has a strong presence in the cross-Atlantic Spanish speaking countries.”

Tickets are due to go on presale along with announcement of the first artists on the line-up very soon.