One Love Festival (Essex, England; Sept. 2-4)
Ending the summer on a high note is the One Love Festival, inspired by the original One Love Peace Concert held in Kingston, Jamaica. “The U.K.’s No. 1 reggae and dub camping festival” this year returns to Hainault Forest Country Park, just outside London in Essex, England, the site of its 2010 and 2011 editions. We’re definitely digging the lineup, which features Lee “Scratch” Perry, Junior Reid, Big Youth, Half Pint, Kabaka Pyramid, Max Romeo, The Congos, the Gladiators, Sister Nancy and Jah9. As usual, One Love has done a great job of rounding up the reggae veterans who call England home; among them this year are Brinsley Forde, Capitol Letters, Bunny Lee, Dennis Bovell with Roger Robinson, and just about all of London’s iconic sound systems, a few of whom will be competing in an eight-entrant “Clash of the Titans.” The biggest of them all, Saxon Studio, will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a special One Love Festival session, featuring the sprawling sound’s full lineup of selectors and MCs.