(Asbury Park, N.J.) — Positive vibrations, booming bass and rhythmic guitar serenaded the crowd filling Low Dive bar and the boardwalk at the second annual Asbury Park Reggae Festival.
“Freedom,” said Barry James Peterson, of Barry and the Penetrators and owner of Coffee Surf Co in Belmar, when asked what playing reggae in Asbury Park meant to him. “Asbury is such a melting pot of so much that when we were playing punk rock and reggae back in the day, it was just magic.”
Dub Assassins playing for a lively crowd at Low Dive. (Photo Credit: Asbury Park Reggae Festival Website)
Reggae music originated in Jamaica in the late 1960’s bringing people together through one love and social justice. Asbury Park’s Jamaican population is more than 150 residents, according to Neilsberg’s 2026 research.
“Asbury always had a strong Jamaican population,” said Peter Mantas, Director of Entertainment at Low Dive and Palmetto (previously the Langosta Lounge and Asbury Park Yacht Club) for the last 20 years. “We've had many restaurants. At one time, there were about five of them. There's a lot of Jamaican people, and plus the beach, reggae, sunshine, and food goes together.”
The festival was founded by local legend Kenny “Stringbean” Sorensen, of Stringbean and the Boardwalk Social Club, and Timothy Boyce, aka “P-Dub” of the Dub Assassins.
“We play a lot of reggae in our set,” said Sorensen, who refers to his sound as ‘flip-flop blues’. “So, I had the idea to do a reggae festival here and I called my friend Tim, and we worked on getting it together.”
Kenny “Stringbean” Sorensen, of Stringbean and the Boardwalk Social Club (Photo Credit: Asbury Park Reggae Festival Website)
“Asbury has a whole history of reggae since the ‘70s,” said Sorensen. “They have a West Indian community that comes out. People from Jamaica, they live here now. There's a lot of reggae fans that it really kind of transcends. There's like Deadhead reggae fans and punk rockrocker reggae fans.”
Sorensen explained that reggae is the one thing that people seem to agree on musically, “Our main thing is to try to bring together as many different types of people as possible.”
Sorensen and Boyce brought the idea of having the reggae festival at Low Dive to Mantas.
“It was a very organic and simple situation,” said Boyce, singer, songwriter, producer, and guitarist of Dub Assassins. “All the reggae bands are our friends.”
Boyce explained that he relied on his connection to Mantas as he changed bands and sounds throughout the years.
“He's the reason that we're here, because I've known him since I was 10,” said Boyce, referring to Mantas. “I started working at T-Birds Cafe [formerly on Main St.] in 1993. We got a residence there, which was owned by him [Mantas] and Scott Stamper who eventually owned The Saint.”
Timothy Boyce, aka “P-Dub” of the Dub Assassins (Photo Credit: Asbury Park Reggae Festival Website)
Boyce started playing reggae music after he “hooked up” with some Jamaican friends in Long Branch during college.
“I went into my first reggae band with some of the older gentlemen that are here today,” said Boyce. “They're not in my band now, but some of them are here today as members of other bands who perform.”
Boyce explained that his knowledge of writing in school continued through his storytelling techniques in his songs, allowing him to go on and write for some big name pop stars.
“I spent about 10 years writing for other artists,” said Boyce. “Akon, Britney Spears and Justin Bieber, I've written for all those people.”
Dub Assassins’ music has also been featured in Hawaii Five-0, What We Do in the Shadows, The Glades, and Cobra Kai.
Six bands played the festival– Dub Assassins, Random Test, Boardwalk Social Club, Dub Proof, Barry and the Penetrators, and Babylon’s Most Wanted– blending reggae’s Caribbean roots with Jersey Shore surf rock and blues for a memorable lineup.
Random Test has notably shared stages with legends including Burning Spear, Culture, Ky-Mani Marley, The Wailers and Third World.
“It is super cool to play this reggae fest here, and to be still playing music,” said singer-songwriter Peterson, who has been respected around Asbury Park for their band’s infectious spirit since 1998.
“Irie [Jamaican Patois and Rastafarian for ‘alright’ or ‘all good’],” said a smiling Anne Lepre with her husband Roger, fans and part-time residents of Asbury Park. “The bands are fantastic.”
“Nobody's been excluded,” said Boyce explaining the inclusivity of the festival. “It's an open community. Asbury is a very receptive place in general, and it's a music town that's always known good music.”
Boyce went on to add that in this case, “Real recognized real.”
“From childhood, meaning 18, I got caught up with these people and there were a lot of Jamaicans in the band,” said Boyce, who explained the next young guy in his first band was in his thirties. “They're a very patriarchal society, and they have no problem yelling at a young kid like me.”
Boyce added that through the ups and downs, “the biggest takeaway for me is the friends, family, and community that I've extracted from this. 90% of people I know are as a result of this.”
The energetic festival brought a large crowd of passionate concert goers, drinking signature rum punches and stretching onto the boardwalk past the entrance of Low Dive.
“I'm happy a lot of people are here again,” said Sorenson. “Just seeing everybody getting together, this is the one time of year we all see each other, all the musicians. That's the main thing to get together with everybody.”
Mantas plans to continue doing this festival annually.
(Photo Credit: Asbury Park Reggae Festival Website)
The festival’s website is clear. There were no major sponsors, no corporate backing and no municipal funding.
“Just musicians, volunteers, local businesses, and reggae fans creating something meaningful together,” it said.
“Families, music lovers, longtime reggae fans, and curious newcomers gathered together to share a day of live music, good energy, and genuine connection,” the website said. “That spirit remains at the heart of everything we do.”
Listen to the official festival playlist here.
To add to or correct any information in this report, please get in touch with me at angelica.n@lead4earth.org.
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