Reggae Month 2024 will be launched in Jamaica with a church service on Sunday, January 28, in Kingston.
The service will take place at Fellowship Tabernacle, 2 Fairfield Avenue, Kingston 20, at 9:30 a.m. It is being organized through the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, and will be held under the theme ‘Celebrating Reggae’s Message of ONE LOVE’, aligning with the overarching theme for Reggae Month – ‘Come Ketch di RIDDIM’.
Portfolio Minister, Olivia Grange, and other distinguished guests, including Chairman of the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA), Ewan Simpson, are expected to participate in the service.
Reggae Month will also feature several events throughout the month of February that will be announced at a later date.
Celebrations in South Florida
Several events will also be held in South Florida to highlight Reggae Month.
On February 10, the inaugural historical retrospective and concert event Reggae Genealogy – The Origins, Evolution and Influence of Jamaican Music, produced by Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, will be presented in the city of Plantation, Florida.
A blend of entertainment and education, this event will showcase live performances, archival video elements, and contemporary narratives for a fully immersive experience.
Reggae Genealogy will take place in the north-east parking lot of the Broward Mall.
On February 13, Miramar Vice Mayor Alexandra P. Davis will host the 4th Annual Reggae Icon Awards 2024.
The event is a partnership between Miramar and the island of Jamaica, aimed at shining a spotlight on reggae icons who have truly shaped and influenced the global music scene.
It will take place at the Miramar Cultural Center – Banquet Hall, located at 2400 Civic Center Place.
Read: Celebrating legends of Reggae: Miramar to host reggae Icon Awards 2024
Dancehall Week within Reggae Month
Entertainment Minister Olivia Grange has also thrown her weight behind plans to stage the inaugural Dancehall Week during the 2024 staging of Reggae Month.
She said Dancehall Week is a welcomed new addition to the slate of events to be staged during Reggae Month each year and comes with the full endorsement of not just the Ministry of Culture itself but also the JCDC, one of its culture agencies.
“Dancehall is quintessentially Jamaican and, in many respects, can be seen as the cradle of Jamaican music. The music evolved out of the sound systems of the 1960s and has now become a worldwide sensation,” she said.
“I, therefore, see Dancehall Week as an exciting addition to an already eclectic Reggae Month, with the potential to pull many visitors to our shores to partake of our captivating culture.
Dancehall Week is slated to run from February 13 to 19, 2024.
