Jamaica Could Host Woodstock Festival Soon

Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Damion Crawford, says Jamaica could soon be hosting one of the world’s biggest music festivals.

Speaking in Montego Bay, St. James, recently, Mr. Crawford said he has already had discussions with promoters of the world famous Woodstock Festival, and if things go according to plan, the event could be staged in Jamaica soon.

“I called the (representatives) at Woodstock and ask them to consider having a reggae Woodstock in Jamaica. A member is coming down shortly to have a meeting,” he noted.

Mr. Crawford said if the discussions are positive, he will be pushing to get private sector support, instead of having the Government being engaged in the planning, promotion and staging of the festival.

“Government is not a promoter and entertainment needs people who are willing to take the risk,” the State Minister added.

The Woodstock Festival or simply Woodstock is a music festival, billed as ‘An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music’. It is held at Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in the Catskills, New York, near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, from August 15 to 18 every year.

The festival is widely regarded as a pivotal moment in popular music history with groups such as The Rolling Stone among those to have performed.

Meanwhile, Mr. Crawford said the Government is moving to ensure that the entertainment industry grows in a meaningful way, through the introduction of stage craft teaching at four of the nation’s schools.

“For the first time, stage craft is being taught in schools at the CXC level. We have invested in four schools and every year we will do four more,” he added.