Mission Bayfest 2025: Day Three

Day Three of Mission Bayfest 2024 came in hot — literally and figuratively. It was sunshine, smoke, and seriously good vibes. With the sun blazing and a stacked lineup, I bounced all over the park with my camera, soaking up every beat, every moment, and every puff of… festival spirit.

Here’s the breakdown of the day from my lens, plus a few acts I missed, but heard through the crowd.

The day started with Divina and, honestly, her set was as bright as sunshine. Her soulful voice had the early birds grooving by the bay, easing everyone into the festival for the final time. People were still rubbing the sleep out of their eyes, but you could feel her waking them up as they were getting ready for Day Three.

Josh Heinrichs followed with his laidback style and heartfelt lyrics, even inviting his friends including Shakamon, Dread Kennedy, and Ozzie of We Should Smoke onstage with his signature giant torpedo blunts!

Then came DENM and this guy definitely woke the crowd up by cranking things up a notch. His set brought an edge, blending reggae rock with a touch of punky attitude. The crowd was digging the change in pace and I loved the high-energy moments he and his bandmates gave me to capture: plenty of jumping, fist-pumping, and that wild, carefree festival vibe.

The crowd had filled out by the time Fortunate Youth hit the main stage.

Their smooth reggae grooves had everyone in sync — hands in the air, smiles all around. I’ve shot Fortunate Youth before and they never disappoint; they naturally turn massive crowds into big family singalongs. Plus, the golden-hour light hitting the stage? Chef’s kiss for the perfect shot!

Then, the vibes shifted entirely as Wiz Khalifa took over. Wiz brought swagger and energy, and the entire festival leaned into it. People lit up — again, literally and figuratively — as the atmosphere shifted into full-on party mode. Shooting Wiz was a trip: the lights, the smoke, the crowd losing it as he dropped hit after hit… It was wild to see reggae fans and hip hop lovers collide in this beautiful, hazy energy blend.

Closing out the night was Cypress Hill and, wow, they know how to command a stage. The crowd was on fire (pun intended), rapping to every lyric. Cypress Hill brought that legendary presence that made the festival stop and pay attention. From “Insane in the Brain” to “How I Could Just Kill a Man”, every beat hit hard. Shooting them is an adrenaline rush — so much energy and history!

Now, onto the bands I didn’t get to photograph.

Ric Scales & DJ Root kept the Under The Bridge Stage buzzing with tight beats and rhymes early. Blvk H3ro, Jesse Royal, and Protoje brought that next-level Jamaican reggae energy to the festival. I didn’t shoot them, but you could feel their music carrying across the festival grounds; everyone I talked to was raving about their sets. Well, Official Sound, DJ Yaardcore, Lion Sound, and Tribe of Kings filled the day with more deep reggae cuts, keeping the roots heads happy and the vibes rolling.

Day Three was everything you could want from a festival: fantastic music, a wildly diverse lineup, and a crowd that matched the energy. There was something for everyone, whether it was the smooth reggae grooves, high-energy hip hop, or legendary throwbacks. And me? I’ve got a memory card full of gold to prove it.

Mission Bayfest this weekend? Absolutely golden.

The lineup was on point and made the atmosphere unbeatable. From reggae grooves that had us swaying under the sun to headliners that brought the house down (or, you know, the bay), it was nonstop good times. I’m already super hyped for next year: more sunburns, more jams, and definitely a lot more epic summertime stories to tell!

Photography by Olivia Valdes

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