Organisers of the world-famous Reggae Sumfest have announced that the show, set to be their biggest to date, will go ahead as scheduled.
The proclamation came shortly after the passage of Hurricane Beryl, which caused devastation in parishes along the south coast, including deaths, downed trees, damaged power lines and destroyed homes.
Despite these issues, event organizers Downsound Entertainment want attendees of this year’s event to know that they can expect a great show, as they have already weathered the challenges of the weather system.
Downsound Vice Chairman Robert Russell made the bold declaration, without predicting any specific figures.
“This year’s Sumfest will be the biggest and best yet because we are all going all out to be grateful that we escaped the wrath of Hurricane Beryl,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
“Hotels are reporting strong bookings for this period and airlines are confirming that flights are still selling well online,” he added.
Russell added that there was minimal damage to the venue which was quickly repaired and the Catherine Hall venue will be ready to welcome thousands of spectators as usual.
“After consultation with CEO Joe Bogdanovich and the rest of the team, I, Vice Chairman Robert Russell, am pleased to announce the return of Reggae Sumfest 2024,” he said.
“Mr. Bogdanovich said it was a miracle we were able to survive the hurricane and hold Reggae Sumfest 2024,” he said, further elaborating on their feelings about the situation.
He also said that in light of the hardships caused by the hurricane, Reggae Sumfest is looking into ways to help those affected by the storm.
“We as the Sumfest team are trying to help as many people affected as we can,” he said.
Reggae Sumfest, a seven-day, eight-event festival, will kick off with a Family Fun Day on July 14 at Catherine Hall.
This will be followed by Street Dance, All White, Global Soundclash and Rum Fest Blitz.
And the main event will be two stage shows featuring local and international artists on Friday, July 19th and 20th.
“With no changes to the lineup and no cancellations, we are on track to put on the greatest reggae festival in the world,” Russell said.
The event will be headlined by soul singer Babyface and will also feature Beres Hammond, Anthony B, Aidonia, Nagy Boy, Capleton, Jada Kingdom, Teejay and Marcy Chin.
Reggae Sumfest has been one of the Caribbean’s leading music festivals since its inception in 1993. Downsound Entertainment acquired the brand in 2016.
Russell stressed how important the event is to the local community, claiming that it continues to grow and brings in around $2 billion in revenue each year for Montego Bay and the surrounding area.
“The event will create jobs for the many Jamaicans who depend on Sumfest to send their children to school in September and for the rest of the year,” he said.
