Kingston to Come Alive for Reggae Month

The creative city of Kingston will come alive during the month of February with the staging of several events and activities, as the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment marks the 9^th annual Reggae Month.

Reggae Month will be held from February 1 to 29 under the theme: ‘Reggae Mekyah’.

This year’s observance dubbed ‘Reggae Month – It’s Kingston for February’, is aimed at utilising the unique value proposition of reggae music and the cultural significance of February as an attractor to Kingston.

Recently, the Ministry issued an open call for eligible entertainment events to be included in the 2016 calendar.

“The proposed events must be related to reggae or another musical art form typical of Jamaica and being held in the Kingston and St. Andrew Metropolitan Region,” said State Minister in the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Damion Crawford.

The events chosen will be endorsed by the Jamaica Tourist Board and will receive local and international promotion.

Director of Entertainment in the Ministry, Gillian Wilkinson McDaniel, informed that the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JARIA) has been utilising social media to promote Reggae Month.

Mrs. McDaniel informed that the recent designation of Kingston as a Creative City by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will bring more visibility to the activities of the parish.

She said the designation also provides a platform to strengthen the creation, production, distribution and enjoyment of cultural goods and services at the local level.

Mrs. McDaniel said that reggae and reggae-related events will continue to be relevant, especially when artistes reinvent themselves and create innovative music that is reflective of the heart and soul of the people.