Summer Playground Fantasy (SPF) returned for Year #4 to the coastline town of Ocho Rios for its Emancipation Weekend party blowout. The Appleton Estate-sponsored, three-day series of social dos welcomed out-of-towners, ‘Ochi’ folks, and vacationing tourists to soak up a potent mix of gorgeous locales, infectious music beats by top-flight deejays, and the company of partygoers all too eager to get down and live it up. SO zooms in from the weekend’s kick-off Catamaran cruise from Jewel Dunn’s River, BNM:Eye Candy at Cary Island, Fiction Beach at Sunset Beach, White River and the capper, SPF:Soirée.

(Photos: Karl McLarty)

SPF CATAMARAN CRUISE

Setting sail from the boardwalk pier at Jewel Dunn’s River, the Red Locks catamaran cruise was the start point Friday for weekending SPF partygoers. Despite the exacting guest limit of 100 persons, the four-hour cruise captained by Kevin Thompson made for an exciting sojourn at sea — with free-flowing J Wray & Nephew cocktails, and deejays Vice and Silent Addy upping the party tempo with of-the-moment hit music.

BNM: EYE CANDY

Next up on the SPF weekend itinerary was the BNM: Eye Candy party at Cary Island. Hosted by promoters Farenheit and Steve Wilson (absent due to client Sean Paul’s appearance in New York on ABC’s Good Morning America earlier in the day), BNM was a rambunctious good time compliments of DJ Cruise, Richie D and Kyle DeSouza, with a side of mouth-watering pork prepared by Sheriff BBQ team, and of course, cocktail mixes from J Wray & Nephew.

FICTION BEACH

As the night waves gently lapped against the golden sands of Sunset Beach — adjacent to the Couples Sans Souci resort — the energy across the breadth of the Fiction Beach party was at fever pitch. Acrobatic dancers entranced with aerial silk routines, fire dancers spewed flames, and in-between the spot-on bar service and cocktails that ran as free as the spirited energy, the hundreds who dotted the oceanfront venue had an exceptionally great time.

SOIREE

The holiday weekend capper, SPF:Soirée tried out a new venue. Moving from The Cove at Drax Hall which served as its party central base for the previous three years, the action shifted to the oceanfront Bay Beach Club, on the outskirts of Ocho Rios for the Sunday beach fest. Excitement was palpable as hot beach bodies came in their bikini-attired and ab-baring trendiest to rock to the sounds of deejays Jazzy T, Kurt Riley, Sanjay and Kyle Desouza while feasting on a veritable spread by Brian Lumley and the team from Top Shelf led by Sean Gonzales.