Pittsburgh's Reggae & Rock Celebration with a Charitable Heart

Rock, Reggae & Relief is an annual music festival organized by the Piatt Family Foundation, celebrating its 9th year in 2026. The festival has raised over $250,000 for community nonprofits over its eight-year history. This year's beneficiary is Café Momentum, an organization supporting justice-involved youth through mentorship, education, and career opportunities.

The festival takes place in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh, utilizing Market Square and Forbes Avenue as its venue. The 2026 edition features two main stages: the Main Stage and Chill Ville Stage, creating distinct musical experiences throughout the day. Beyond live music performances, the festival features Chillville, an experiential area offering henna tattoos, face and body gems, festival hair styling, fortune telling services, and Reiki-infused jewelry.

Diverse Lineup and Talent

The lineup includes established acts like UB40 ft. Ali Campbell, whose founding membership helped drive over 100 million record sales globally. The Elovaters bring a #1 Billboard Reggae album 'Defy Gravity' and mainstream recognition including CBS Hawaii Five-O placements. Tribal Seeds from San Diego boast 1.3 billion streams with recent album 'Ancient Blood.' G. Love & Special Sauce represents Philadelphia hip-hop blues fusion pioneers known for laid-back groovy style since 1993. J Boog, a West Coast reggae artist, gained viral recognition through TikTok with "Let's Do It Again."

Additional performers include Roots of Creation presenting their 'Grateful Dub' project with five-time Grammy winner Errol Brown, The Uprooted Band featuring Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root, The Expendables from Santa Cruz with nearly 25 years of surf-rock-reggae-ska fusion, Surfer Girl with 150 million streams, Pittsburgh's FUBAR from the reggae-rock-ska scene, The Hip Abduction from St. Petersburg, and Emily Brimlow, a pop-soul singer-songwriter with 13 million streams.

Inclusive Experience and Community Focus

The festival emphasizes inclusivity and welcomes people of all ages and abilities. Festival-goers can access General Admission areas, the Chill Ville area, and tiered VIP experiences ranging from Gold to Platinum levels. The Platinum tier includes elevated viewing platforms, complimentary buffet service, private bar access, and exclusive merchandise discounts. ADA General Admission seating and dedicated accessible viewing areas are available. The festival accommodates families with child admission tickets and offers hotel partnerships, including a special discount rate at the Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh Downtown located at Market Square.