Total Cultural Experience Promised For Jamaican Independence

This year, Jamaica’s Independence Weekend will be about bringing people together and the Jamaican experience, with the re-emergence of Reggae Sunsplash to the island.

From August 3rd - 6th 2006, Priory in St Ann, Jamaica will be home to, what many describe as ‘the Woodstock of reggae shows’. Back after a 9 year hiatus, the b-mobile sponsored event is to be bigger and better than before, incorporating music, art and culture in a rich and beautiful north coast setting.

Organisers of this year’s bmobile Reggae Sunsplash are determined that the festival will transcend the usual reggae event format by highlighting Jamaican culture as a whole. In addition to the stellar musician line-up, which includes acts such as Beenie Man, UB40, Elephant Man and Luciano, designated areas for dominoes, children’s games and family activities have been designed. Art, craft and food villages, will also be set up to showcase other aspects of Jamaican culture like the specialty ‘jerk’ method of fire roasting chicken and pork, helping to make the festival a ‘family affair’.

“This is not a stage show. It is a festival that seeks to expose all areas of Jamaican culture…anything that is reggae and everything that is Jamaican” said Charles Campbell, Director of Operations and Production.

The cultural theme of bmobile Reggae Sunsplash continues with the inclusion of dancers, poets and the Kingston Drummers, who will open the festival each night with traditional drumming.

Nature and music unite at the event’s new home, the Richmond Estate, a vast 200 acre property on the edge of the sparkling turquoise Caribbean Sea. The venue has the capacity to accommodate over 150,000 people and 20,000 vehicles. Several large screens will also be installed at key points for optimum viewing.

Situated in close proximity to Jamaica’s largest concentration of hotel rooms, the tourist-friendly parish of St. Ann is home to the world famous Dunn’s River Falls, and the birth places of, Jamaican National Hero, Marcus Garvey, and reggae legend Bob Marley.

Organisers are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that this year’s Reggae Sunsplash is second to none and provides the total Jamaican experience.