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Aloha Friday with Marty Dread

Just because you’re stuck at home doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun! Join PacWhale Eco-Adventures LIVE this Friday for an Aloha Friday event to remember with our Maui party ambassador Marty Dread. On June 26 at 2:30 p.m., Dread will donate his considerable talents as he takes to the seas aboard PacWhale’s Ocean Spirit for Aloha Friday: An Evening with Marty Dread, a live-streamed virtual concert benefitting Pacific Whale Foundation. As the sole beneficiary of income generated by PacWhale, PWF relies on this social enterprise model to help fund the nonprofit’s Research, Education and Conservation programs. Registration for this exclusive virtual viewing is $30 for PWF members; $40 for nonmembers.

“As this is a difficult time for all of us, we’re reaching out to thank all our friends who’ve supported the Island Rhythms Sunset Cruise over the years,” Dread explains. “We very much appreciate that support, and now we need that support even more.” 

In keeping with the Island Rhythms Marty tradition for this fundraising event, if you have a certain song you would like Marty to play or shout out, you can request it during the event to help PWF raise funds.  

“I have come to love the banter between the audience and myself. When you join me on the island rhythms cruise you realize it’s not just me singing at a group of people, it’s an actual exchange. They’re being sang to and I am giving shout-outs and playing song requests for loved ones so there is a very personal aspect for both me and the audience. I have become friends with many people who have joined me on the cruises and I want to reach out to them and reconnect via this platform. For those who aren’t on island, I am hoping we can bring them a sense of Maui and Aloha.” 

-Marty Dread

Known as Hawai‘i’s Reggae Ambassador, Dread has been honing his craft for almost a quarter century with 17 albums released to the public. He’s toured the globe from Canada to Jamaica and beyond; performed at the White House, Moscow’s Red Square, the Cotton Club in Harlem and myriad music festivals, opening for part-time Maui resident, Willie Nelson, at Nelson’s annual Farm Aid concerts in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Kansas City and the famed 4th of July picnic in Fort Worth, Texas.  

Dread’s studio work includes collaborations with Nelson, Inner Circle, Kris Kristofferson, Michael McDonald, Junior Reid, Mikey Dread, Fiji, Irie Love, Pato Banton, Sly and Robbie, Mad Professor, Tippa Irie, Toots Hibbert, Oshen, Common Sense, Bluetech and others. 

In the words of Marty Dread, “I am still here; PacWhale is still here; and we are ready to entertain and serve the community.” 

Register today to support Pacific Whale Foundation’s Research, Education, and Conservation programs while enjoying a fun-filled afternoon with Marty Dread.