2 months ago
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With the Easter holidays upon us, Jamaicans across the diaspora are gearing up for what is expected to be a jam-packed weekend. Among them is the mayor for St Ann’s Bay, Michael Belnavis, whose team has been working tirelessly in preparation for Vacae Weekend.
“As you know, Ocho Rios and, by extension, its surrounding areas, is the party capital of Jamaica. Every event that is big and large comes to Ocho Rios – and we are excited about that,” Belnavis told The Gleaner.
His excitement comes on the heels of last year's declarations that sections of St Ann are officially entertainment zones.
“It was only natural to see more events coming, following the announcement by Minister Grange. And we are expectant of more developments in the near future,” Belnavis continued.
Vacae Weekend, which opens today, will be the first series of events to take over the party town, with six events spanning the four-day holiday weekend.
Belnavis says that accommodation has already been booked out in anticipation.
“We have been receiving word that several places of stay are already booked out. We figure it’s because the events will have these overseas elements to them, with several deejays coming to the island,” he explained.
“So, with that crowd coming down, they are pulling a lot of overseas attention to the area, and that in turn is causing accommodation in the area to be filled, which, of course, is good for Jamaican business.”
That’s a lot a foot traffic expected for the festivities, but the mayor argued the area is prepared and ready.
“We’re not expecting any major sort of traffic jams. The good thing is that most of the events are in the day. So, with them being spread out like that, it will filter the traffic,” Belnavis said.
Vacae Weekend, which is curated and organised by the entertainment company Twenty14 Ltd, was first launched in 2019 with the goal of highlighting Jamaica’s most prominent features.
“Vacae Weekend is far more than just a series of parties,” said CEO Andrew Ellis. “It is an outlet for all the things that makes Jamaica unique; our music, our food our scenery and, above all, our ability to have a good time.”
The event starts off this year with The Lawn, an all-yellow party whose highlight will be a performance from dancehall icon Govanna.
Ellis says the Twenty14 team is “proud” to bring the Four Storey deejay to a crowd hungry for a good time. “This year will be our biggest yet, as it gives us yet another chance to learn from everything we’ve done up until this point. I want to use this opportunity to thank all our sponsors for trusting us and supporting what we do,” Ellis told The Gleaner.
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