Barbados Reggae Weekend is set to beam live performances from Kensington Oval to audiences across three continents on a pay-per-view basis, as organisers confirm ticket sales have already reached markets as far afield as Germany and Ireland ahead of the festival’s April 24–26 run.
During a stakeholder walkthrough of the venue on Wednesday, sponsorship manager Michelle Straughn said all systems were in place for what is expected to be a major draw on the entertainment calendar.
Sponsorship manager Michelle Straughn
In a major development, Straughn announced that the event will be streamed globally.
“The Barbados Reggae Weekend will be streaming the shows…to the USA, Canada, to Africa…it’s going to be all over the world, and it’s pay-per-view.”
The April 24-26 festival will feature a strong international lineup, including Dexta Daps, D’Yani, Spice, Kranium and Grammy Award-winning singer Fantasia, all of whom are expected to attract large crowds.
Straughn underscored the significance of the event to Barbados’s economy and tourism, noting its growing reputation internationally.
“This event is very important to Barbados. It has become probably one of the major events in Barbados outside of Crop Over,” she said, adding that ticket sales have already reflected strong overseas interest.
“We have persons that are already buying tickets from Germany, Ireland…yes, USA, Canada, but we had some other markets that were unusual and we saw an uptake of tickets from those markets. So it shows you that the word is getting out there and people are coming to Barbados for this event.”
She further revealed that international media exposure is expected to increase, with Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) facilitating overseas coverage.
“We even have the overseas media coming because BTMI is bringing in a team from some of the islands as well as the US…so it’s growing on and we like that. It gives us global exposure for the island.”
She also highlighted the broad economic impact of the festival, thanking those involved in its execution.
“All of the persons that are associated with the event, whether it is boutiques, box offices, the technical workers, [vendors]…everybody plays a part, and we want to say thank you to them.”
To address logistical challenges, particularly limited parking near the venue, organisers will implement a park-and-ride system, with shuttle services operating from several locations and drop-off points along President Kennedy Drive and near the Central Purchasing Department at Holborn.
Security and safety measures will also be robust, with police, private security, and emergency services on hand throughout the weekend, Straughn said.
(SB)
