One of the biggest reggae and Caribbean music lineups of Toronto’s summer arrives in the GTA today.

Kaya Fest Toronto makes its Canadian debut Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Markham Fairgrounds, bringing generations of the Marley family together with major names from reggae, dancehall and hip-hop.

The festival is produced by Stephen Marley’s Fruit of Life Productions and operates under the guiding principle “Education Before Recreation,” combining music with messages surrounding culture, unity and conscious living.

The Marley Family Comes to Toronto

The Toronto lineup is headlined by four members of Bob Marley’s musical family:

• Stephen Marley
• Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley
• Ky-Mani Marley
• Julian Marley

The next generation is represented as well, including YG Marley, Yohan Marley, DJ Shacia Päyne, Mystic Marley, Hymn Marley, Zion Marley and King Cruff.

That makes the event more than another reggae concert. It is effectively a multi-generational Marley family showcase and a celebration of the cultural legacy that continues growing around Bob Marley’s music.

Shabba Ranks and Busta Rhymes Join Kaya Fest

The lineup extends considerably beyond the Marley family. Dancehall icon Shabba Ranks and New York hip-hop veteran Busta Rhymes are among the biggest names advertised for today’s festival.

Also appearing are Lila Iké, Jesse Royal, Jully Black, Papoose, Nina Sky, Smoke DZA, Statik Selektah, TOBi, Exco Levi, Kirk Diamond, Rory of Stone Love, and 2DB featuring Zombie Juice and Meechy Darko of Flatbush Zombies.

The mixture of Jamaican reggae, dancehall, New York hip-hop and Canadian R&B gives Kaya Fest an unusually broad connection to Toronto’s Caribbean music audience.

Ky-Mani Marley Arrives With New Music

The timing also coincides with new music from Ky-Mani Marley. Earlier this week, Marley released “A Little Bit (I’m Okay),” the final single ahead of his upcoming Love & Energy album.

That gives his Kaya Fest appearance a current-music dimension beyond the Marley family’s extensive catalog.

Where Is Kaya Fest Toronto?

Kaya Fest takes place at Markham Fairgrounds, 10801 McCowan Road in Markham, today, August 22. The event is all ages.

The venue sits north of Toronto proper, so attendees coming from downtown should account for travel time rather than treating this like a downtown Toronto festival.

Festival details and the current lineup are available through the official Kaya Fest website. Attendees should check official channels for any last-minute timing, admission or lineup updates before travelling.

Toronto’s Caribbean Summer Continues

Kaya Fest arrives only weeks after Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival season, extending one of the city’s strongest annual cultural periods deeper into August.

That makes the event especially relevant for WorldWide Entertainment TV’s 6ix coverage, where Toronto hip-hop, Caribbean music and diaspora culture frequently overlap.

WWETV recently examined how the city’s festival experience is changing in Did Caribana Lose Its Street Vibe? and documented Markham Fairgrounds during SOS Fest’s Caribana weekend opening.

For fans of the Marley family, Shabba Ranks, Busta Rhymes and the wider Caribbean music community, Kaya Fest is positioned as one of the GTA’s defining closing events of summer 2026.

Featured artwork courtesy of Kaya Fest/Fruit of Life Productions.