Highlights of the Jamaica 60 Grand Gala

The highlights of the Jamaica 60 Independence Grand Gala at the National Stadium on Saturday, August 6, were literally grand and spectacular displays of lights high in the sky.

Over a period of some 12 minutes, the lights from 300 glittering drones spelled out words (Jamaica 60 and the theme, ‘Reigniting a Nation for Greatness) and depicted a dozen icons and national symbols.

Jamaica’s swallow-tailed hummingbird (doctor bird), the Coat-of-Arms, the clock at Half-Way Tree and other national symbols were among the many images that lit up the sky.

Other formations that excited the spectators were the formations of folklorist and poet, Hon. Louise “Ms. Lou” Bennett-Coverley; international Reggae icon, Bob Marley and retired Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt.

Drone display designer, John Creel, executed the demonstrations for Jamaica’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, held under the theme ‘Reigniting a Nation for Greatness’.

This aspect of the event was conceptualised by a team, led by Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange.

Miss Grange said the display was set up because it was felt that Jamaicans deserved “something very special” for the country’s 60th anniversary.

Senior Advisor to Minister Grange, Lenford Salmon, said that the plan was to make the Grand Gala interesting and exciting, noting that people could lose interest if the same items are done every year.

However, he said that the drone idea was not an easy decision, given the time limitations and finding someone who could develop the technology.

“There are a few people across the world, especially in our region, who can do this exercise, and so it was very hard to find one which was available in the short space of time to execute. But we did find somebody who was willing to push and to believe in the dream we had and to assist us to do it,” he said, during a radio interview.

“I am very happy that we did it. The people seemed very pleased about it, and it has now become the highlight, and that is what people will remember most about it,” he added.

Artistic Director of the Grand Gala, Michael Holgate, who was responsible for choosing the images, told JIS News that they were selected, so that “when Jamaicans see them in the sky they must feel enlivened and proud”.

“It was a whole exciting adventure of collaboration and civic pride. It was a national project, so we had to be thinking how the average Jamaican would feel seeing, hearing or looking at this,” he added.

The Grand Gala also featured presentations in music, drama, song and dance by costumed and uniformed groups, alongside popular local artistes. There were more than 1,000 participants and performers at the event. Of this number were some 700 young people drawn from various groups and communities across the Corporate Area and St. Catherine.

Mr. Holgate said that pulling everyone together to put on the cultural extravaganza was a “labour of love”.

“A lot of the times, people think of a project like it’s all about the creative elements, but it’s the logistics and the technical elements and the administrative work… coordinating things that make it all work. You have to bring people together and ensure that they’re fed and so on,” he said.

The Artistic Director, who is Head of the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts, said stage managers and marshalls, group leaders, choreographers, closet coordinators, production assistants, costume designers and graphic designers worked together to ensure the success of the cultural event.

Another important element of the show, he said, was a tribute to the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), an agency of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.

Mr. Holgate said that it was important to “big up” the institution that has helped to make Jamaica great.

“Nowhere else in the world do you have an institution which is diving into the culture, looking at the culture, reimagining it and representing it to the people, giving opportunities to young and old to compete, to perform, to showcase, to learn and to understand more. It is a phenomenal institution, this JCDC,” he said.

Mr. Holgate, who noted that this was the first time he was executing the Grand Gala, said that it had elements of civic pride, high entertainment value, high production value and impact on the Jamaican people.

“I think we achieved what we intended to achieve. I was pleased with the outcome of the show. I am grateful for the strong support of the team that I worked with,” he said.