The inaugural Reggae Summer Splash event, which recognises the Jamaican contribution to the city of Miami Gardens in South Florida, takes place there tomorrow at Bunche Park.

A free event, it was proposed by Shannan Ighodaro of The Bahamas, a councilwoman on the Miami Gardens City Council.

She told the Jamaica Observer that with her city home to the largest black population (115,000) in the United States, half of whom have Caribbean heritage, it is only fitting it hosts such an event.

Ighodaro compared the Miami Gardens Caribbean community to, “a nice, hot pot of soup” that “still retains our flavour and uniqueness”.

Mykal Rose and Red Rat will perform on the four-hour show which will honour several Jamaicans who have helped develop Miami Gardens and South Florida in diverse markets.

Some of them, including disc jockeys John Tyrell “John T” Hodgson and Anthony “Tanto Irie” Garrick, are stalwarts of Caribbean radio.

Ian Hamilton and Xavier Murphy, publishers of the South Florida Caribbean News and Jamaicans.com websites, will also be acknowledged for keeping the community informed about the latest news in current affairs, entertainment and sports.

— Howard Campbell