Seven events over seven days will be used to mark the 77th birthday of reggae king Bob Marley this year.

The events, which will commence on February 6, Marley’s actual birthday, will include: a beach clean-up, a sound clash, music industry seminars, two art installations, and two concerts. All activities will showcase various aspects of his legacy under the theme ‘Roots 77’,

“ I am so pleased to have the opportunity to honour my dad each year — especially in a way that welcomes fans and well-wishers around the world to share this special occasion with our family. This year is particularly important to us with Jamaica celebrating its 60th anniversary. The theme we chose, Roots 77, is inspired by the song Roots, and as we go back to our roots, we get a chance to explore the growth of reggae, Rastafari, and Jamaica,” stated Cedella Marley.

Lecia-Gaye Taylor, operations manager and legal counsel for the Bob Marley Group of Companies, added that the Bob Marley Foundation is accepting entries until February 4 from young artists for the juried Roots 77 Art Exhibition that will be on show at the Bob Marley Museum from February to August. One of the main attractions of the celebration, however, is the new Rita Marley: Mystic of a Queen permanent installation at the Bob Marley Museum in St Andrew.

“This is the main event of the celebrations. The Berette S Macaulay-curated exhibit honouring Marley’s widow, family matriarch, philanthropist, singer-songwriter, cultural shaper, and entrepreneur, will début on February 6 with a private viewing by a delegation of government officials, including the prime minister, before opening to the public on weekdays from 10:00 am to 4:00 am.”

Another event which is being given prominence is the Roots 77 Concert: Celebrating the roots of Marley’s livity, which will include performances by Etana, Tony Rebel, Queen Ifrica, Gyptian, Bugle, Black-Am-I, Amanyea, and hosted by legendary MC Tommy Cowan. The concert will showcase additional musical performances by the Marley brothers, Minister Marion Hall, formerly known as queen of the dancehall Lady Saw; Sharon Marley, and grandsons Skip Marley, Jo Mersa Marley, and Elijah Marley.

The Marley family is pleased to add a new feature to the celebrations this year. The 7 Roots of Marley, inspired by the seven pillars of Kwanzaa, is a series of video meditations which explore the reggae legend’s ideals and gives insight into his far-reaching impact.

Julia Vaz, marketing director of the Bob Marley Group of Companies, emphasised the comprehensive nature of this year’s offerings:

“The goal is to provide something for everyone and to emphasise different aspects of Bob Marley’s guiding beliefs and way of life. We want people to have a feel of who he was beyond his status as a reggae superstar.”

Other activities include Echoes of Sound Systems – When the Two 7’s Clash; a three-part series of music industry seminars; a workshop at Tuff Gong Studio, which will focus on music production ; and the Football Is Freedom football clinic and camp at St George’s College.