BY SLAV KANDYBA

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Reggae culture and music were at the center of Ragga Muffins Festival, a two-day event that drew tens of thousands of fans from Feb. 20 to 21 to enjoy authentic food and a powerful sense of community.

The festivities began Feb. 20 in the early afternoon with reggae stars such as Lloyd Brown, Mikey Spice and Big Youth taking the stage inside of the arena. By 4 p.m., as the audience began to swell, Gramps Morgan took to the stage, winning over fans with his tenor voice and smooth, soulful reggae (think Jamaica’s Brian McKnight).

If his set sounded polished, it wasn’t just because Gramps is part of the venerable Morgan Heritage music family. It had a lot to do with the fact that he recently came off the nationwide Evolver Tour, opening for John Legend and India.Arie.

As it has for the past 29 years, Ragga Muffins serves as a platform to bring reggae fans from all over the region to one gathering. Although most of these musicians are not in the mainstream and appeal to an older, more eclectic audience, their appeal and the vibe in general is undeniable.

In short, outside of multiplatinum, Grammy Award-winning Shaggy, a casual fan wouldn’t recognize the artists by name. But seeing these talented yet under-the-radar musicians live might make converts out of many a fan. From veterans like Don Carlos, Frankie Paul and Lloyd Brown and Big Youth to a fresh face like Mikey Spice, who plays more than a dozen instruments, Ragga Muffins was balanced.

Add in the variety of the bands that backed up the singers, and it was a splendid affair. From Sierra Leone’s Bajah and the Dry Eye Crew, whose music was featured in Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie “Blood Diamond,” to Mystic Roots Band and Yellow Wall Dub Squad, there was enough live music to win over the worst critic.

About the only problem with a festival like Ragga Muffins is that festival-goers must mentally prepare themselves to withstand crowds and long lines, whether to get in, to get food or get beer. The crowds swelled by the thousands as the festival progressed.

As afternoon became evening, the entrance to the arena became a sea of humanity. Inside, the food yard and the convention room with vendor booths overflowed with concert-goers, too.

It’s not hard to see why Ragga Muffins will mark its 30th anniversary next year. The sense of culture and love was unequivocal, and the music was simply the soundtrack to the good vibes. And the sense of community that was fostered was unmatched.

And of course there was also the food. From East African cuisine (the jungle fries topped with beef and greens was indelible) to jerk chicken, oxtail, goat curry and kabobs, there was enough variety to please even the most discerning foodie.

At the end of the day — if one chose to stick around that long — it became apparent that, by design, the Ragga Muffins Festival is all about a complete experience that stimulates all of the senses and leaves a lasting positive impression.