Today we’d like to introduce you to Janna Dreher
Hi Janna, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Bayfront Reggae & World Music Festival was started in 2006 to pay tribute to Peter Nelson, director and lead singer from the band Shangoya, after his passing. Peter was the first to bring Caribbean music to Minnesota in the 1970s. He blended his original songs with reggae and soca rhythms from his roots in Trinidad and Tobago. Having been on the board of the Two Harbors Folk Festival and the Two Harbors Kayak Festival, I had experience in managing festivals and loved the idea of bringing world music to the Bayfront Festival Park stage in Duluth. Also being a reggae musician, playing keys, I wanted to bring the message of reggae music to a larger audience. The mission of the festival is “A celebration of world music whose artists spread the message of love, hope, and equality for all people worldwide! ” Twenty years of doing this annual event has seen the festival grow from 660 attendees in 2006 to now about 3000. We give thanks to our fans, many of whom attend annually. Our fans represent attendance from Minnesota, the surrounding states, Canada, and have seen fans travel from across the country. Our fans come from diverse backgrounds, many from the African Diaspora. We especially thank our Kenyan and Liberian friends who are very loyal to the event. Over the years, we have had tremendous performers who tour the world bringing the powerful messages of reggae music. The festival has grown as a “foodie” event as well where you can walk among the many food vendors who are busy cooking authentic jerk chicken, fish, curried chicken, curried goat, samosas, jollof rice, and many more fan favorites, including Asian and American fare. There are also many artisan vendors selling clothing, jewelry, and more. We are also thankful for the many sponsors who have supported us over the years so we can continue to offer this special event.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Since I do most of the organizing, the workload can be intense, especially the month before and during the event. I have a fantastic team, who really do a great job during the event. We often have rehearsals at our home the night before the festival which means my husband cooks an authentic meal of jerk chicken, jerk fish, rice and peas for those getting ready for the show. That means we get very little sleep as these rehearsals can go into the we hours. It is fun to visit with the performers and share a meal. The biggest challenges are air travel and ground transportation since most performers are traveling from out of the country and fly to Minneapolis where we have to arrange to bring them to Duluth. In 2024, there was a global IT meltdown the same day our performers were flying to do the festival. I recall being up three nights in a row making sure the flight changes were arranged. Another challenge has been to find legitimate talent buyers who ensure the performers get here. There have been a lot of scammers who attempt to offer a performer when they do not represent the actual person.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I recently retired from work as an occupational therapist and school counselor. I am a former teacher and licensed principal.
Those careers have given me the skills to effectively work with people, be a good communicator, and be truly organized. I have very good verbal and written communication skills which help me to get sponsors, manage contracts, and effectively deal with the performers, our customers, and managing a budget. There are a thousand details to address to help the event to be a success. I am known to be fair, calm, a good delegator, and a nice person. I am especially proud to look back and see all the wonderful performers who have come to Duluth because of the festival. I am also very proud to bring a diverse event to the area and to promote the mission of the festival.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
The music industry is interesting. Shifts in personal music preferences have changed so keeping up with what type of world music and which performers are in demand by our customers is challenging. And in the world of reggae music, we are losing many of our first generation of performers because of age. So we are constantly networking with others to determine who people would enjoy seeing at the event. Ticket pricing is challenging to set a rate that people will pay and who are also willing to pay the fees associated with a ticket. Since the Covid pandemic, the rates for a performance has increased dramatically making it challenging to manage a budget and control costs while providing a quality event
Pricing:
- Adult 18+ – $65 – $85
- Youth – 12-17 – $30 – $35
- children 11 and under free with paid adult
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.bayfrontworldmusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bayfrontreggaeworldmusicfest/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BRWMF/
- Twitter: Bayfront Reggae Fest @BayfrontReggae
