Marching Band Festival Slated for Montego Bay on Labour Day

More than 500 talented young musicians from across Jamaica will descend on the City of Montego Bay, St. James, on Labour Day (May 23) to create a symphony of sound during the Lay Magistrates Association of Jamaica (LMAJ) St. James Chapter’s ‘Marching Band Festival’.

The wholesome family event is slated for the Catherine Hall Sports Complex, where more than 10 bands are set to engage in the most thrilling display of music and celebration.

Chapter President, Suzette Ramdanie-Linton, is inviting families to join them for what she says promises to be a fun-filled day of music and entertainment as they get to experience the musical magic of Jamaica’s marching bands.

“I would just want to encourage St. James and the rest of Jamaica to come out and support us. I know it is Labour Day, and this is our project focused on our at-risk youth,” Mrs. Ramdanie-Linton said.

She was speaking during a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ at the Agency’s Montego Bay Regional Office on Tuesday (May 9).

Among the bands down to perform are St. James’ Royal Rangers and Heights Marching Band; Trelawny’s All Stars; Kingston’s Eagles Drum and Bugle, George Washington Marching Band, and Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corp and St. Catherine’s Mighty Fliers, Magnificent Troupers, Eagles Star Marching Band and Starlight Marching Band.

These units, which comprise 50 and 80 members apiece, will each receive $100,000 for their performances in a bid to revitalise and reignite the musical groups in their respective communities.

There will also be a $50,000 cash prize for the ‘Best Dressed’ band as well as performances by the Jamaica Constabulary Force Band and Digicel Rising Star Winner Shuga, formerly ‘Brown Sugar’, among other entertainment.

“The event starts at 12 noon on Labour Day [and] we are going to have a massive kiddie’s village. At exactly 4:00 p.m. sharp, the marching band festival commences. We’ll have a very brief opening ceremony, prayer, national anthem, greetings and then we will go into the performances of the marching bands,” Mrs. Ramdanie-Linton outlined.

Admission for children under 12 is $500 and $1,000 for adults, while VIP entry costs $5,000.

For her part, the Chapter’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) and Coordinator, Claudette Bryan, said the body has sent a letter lobbying the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport’s support for the event.

Additionally, several promotional strategies are being employed in schools as well as in the business community, including resorts and attractions.

“We are looking for partnerships, because we all have to do this together as a nation. We say come on board and help us to create this atmosphere for family and for our young people to begin to be a part of something that’s positive and that [will] change their lives,” Mrs. Bryan stated.

The festival marks the third production by the Chapter, which initially staged a marching band competition in 2018 and followed up with another event in 2019.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic’s onset in 2020 forced the postponement of further productions.

“So, this year, we decided to have a festival where we will bring the bands together to showcase what they have now, so that we, in turn, can begin to sow back into the bands, some of which have been disbanded,” Mrs. Bryan stated.