Appleton Special Dream Weekend, the annual summer party series, runs from July 28 until August 1 in the beach resort town of Negril. Today, associate sponsors Jamaica Observer publishes its ninth in a series of articles on the event.

WITH a roster of top dancehall acts, Dream Live concert, slated for next Thursday, is arguably one of the most anticipated events on the Dream Weekend calendar.

But despite the event being held during the workweek, principals of Dream Entertainment Ltd — organisers of Dream Weekend — are confident that this will not affect the crowd turnout.

“In all honesty, it may be a spirit crusher for a few persons living in Kingston, but we also have a few hundred thousand persons living in the western end of Jamaica. Looking back at trends, other festivals have kept their dancehall night on a Thursday and it has been their biggest night. There are persons who commute back and forth. Also, we have had an opening night on a Wednesday and it was well supported,” Kamal Bankay, Dream Entertainment PR director, told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

Dream Live is the opening event in this year’s staging of Dream Weekend scheduled for July 28 to August 1 in Negril. The concert, slated for Cayenne Beach, will feature dancehall stars Popcaan, Bounty Killer, Spice, Masicka, and Ding Dong. Comedienne-cum-singer Bella Blair and Magnum King Accid and Magnum Queen Clymaxx are also booked.

Bankay, Ron Burke — Dream Entertainment’s marketing director and Scott Dunn — Dream Entertainment’s MD, were guests at yesterday’s staging of the Jamaica Observer’s Monday Exchange at its Beechwood Avenue headquarters.

The ‘Dream’ execs also said they would be looking at the possibility of staging other similar stage show events before year end.

For this year’s staging, they said they are expecting 20,000 patrons for the five-day festival and expect to pump $1.4 billion into Negril’s economy.

In addition to Dream Live, the other parties are: Hennessy Celebrity Playground and Twisted Spiritz on July 29; Daydreams and Yush on July 30; and Wet ‘N’ Wild and World Vibes, July 31. The event winds down on Emancipation Day, August 1, with Igloo and Dream J’Ouvert.

— Simone Morgan-Lindo