Barbados Reggae Weekend promises something for everyone

With less than five days to go, producers of the Barbados Reggae Weekend (BRW) are ensuring all systems will be in place for the action-packed weekend ahead.

Billed as one of the largest reggae events, the team behind the upcoming production conducted a site visit at the National Botanical Gardens on March 18. Three of the four major events occurring this weekend will be hosted at the centrally located St. Michael site.

Director of the Barbados Reggae Weekend, Ryan Brathwaite is promising patrons an unmatched experience with non-stop vibes and plans are in motion to accommodate all patrons.

Speaking to the press during the visit last Thursday morning, Brathwaite outlined the “executive” treatment VIP patrons can expect.

“We promise you an executive experience in our VIP. We have executive chefs who will be preparing some tantalizing dishes …We are very excited about the VIP. We think it is going to probably be the best VIP you have at any event in Barbados.”

Those who opted for the cabana package can also look forward to extra special treatment and “prime real estate” at the events, Brathwaite assured.

"With the Barbados Reggae Weekend…we’ve ensured that all of the cabanas have front-of-view to the stage and we’ve also separated the amenities from the VIP and the cabanas as well. So, the cabana holders are going to get a little bit more than the VIP holders because we want to treat you special. We want to ensure that if you spend your money, you have an excellent experience,” Brathwaite stated.

General patrons will not be left out, as easy parking accommodations have also been arranged for them. “We are going to be offering parking at The Combermere School, with a $10 cover. Persons coming to the event in general will have parking at the venue as well as the surrounding environments but we are going to be offering special secure parking at The Combermere School, so you can feel easy that you will have some place to leave your vehicle.”

With respect to the response of reggae fans leading up to the weekend shows, the BRW director indicated that the Legends of Reggae show, slated for Friday April 26, has been receiving an “overwhelming” response, with persons from as far as Ghana and Greece purchasing tickets.

“From the time that we launched our first artist, the response was overwhelming. Over the last two months of so…Legends of Reggae has been our flagship show. We expect that the trajectory in terms of ticket sales will continue over the next week or so and we are expecting at least 9,000 to be at this event,” he said.

Similar patronage is expected for the Showdown and Reggae in the Gardens shows on Saturday and Sunday, with Brathwaite revealing that there has been an increase in sales for the latter show in recent days. Billed as a “family-oriented” event, with free admission for children under 15, Reggae in the Gardens will also be offering free popcorn and free ice-cream hours for the little ones.

Producers of the Barbados Reggae Weekend are ensuring all boxes are checked and no one is to be left out. During the site visit, it was revealed that accommodations will also be in place for members of the disabled community.

“We have not left out the disabled community. We have ensured that all of our entrances are indeed accessible to persons who have disabilities because we are an all-encompassing an event. We want to make sure that anybody, Barbadians from all walks of life have the opportunity to come and enjoy this wholesome activity at the National Botanical Gardens,” Brathwaite said.

Additionally, strategic partnerships with both the Barbados Lottery and the St Maarten Tourist Board will give patrons an opportunity to win up to $40,000 and those in possession of season-passes an all-expense paid trip to St. Maarten.

“We are very excited about this weekend. We are happy to have our sponsors on board, who have supported us along the way. I think we’ve outdone ourselves in terms of giving back to the community, giving back to Barbadians who deserve quality shows [and] quality experiences.

He added: “We’re going to make every show unique so if you come Friday, you’re not going to see the same thing that you see on the Saturday. We’re going to try to make it as unique as possible so that every night is a different experience and we’re going to keep it fresh. So don’t come expecting the same thing every night.”

The Barbados Reggae Weekend kicks off on Friday April 26 with Legends of Reggae. Saturday’s Showdown will feature Sizzler Kalonji, Kranium, Byron Messia, Jah Vinci, Chronic Law and Brutal Crankstar. For Reggae in the Gardens on Sunday, the line-up will include the legendary UB40, Right Side of Red, Queen Ifrica, Tessanne Chin, Ghost, Masicka and Morgan Heritage. The reggae action concludes on Monday April 29 with a Reggae Waves cruise on both the Buccaneer and the Inspire.