After a two-year absence due to the pandemic, Belgium’s premier reggae festival is getting ready for its 2022 staging set for August 5 and 6.

Reggae Geel, now in its 42nd year, is held in the city of Geel located in the province of Antwerp in the north of the European country.

Danielle Pater, artistic director of the annual reggae festival, told the Jamaica Observer that things are proceeding apace with the organisation of the event after a two-year lull, but declined from revealing the Jamaican artistes being booked.

“As with any other year, except from the last two years, I am puzzling to get my line-up completed. So, I am booking artistes and working on the production of the event. I am still negotiating deals to create another epic line-up for this year’s special edition. The ticket sales have started, and the pre-production is in full operation. The response has been overwhelming from the audience, network partners and artistes. Sometimes you wonder if people really didn’t understand that it wasn’t us who stopped the festival for those two years, but the Government or the virus itself. And even now, while all the signs are on green, we still must be careful as there is so much going on in the world,” Pater shared.

Despite a lifting of all restrictions in Belgium as it relates to COVID-19, the team at Reggae Geel are still cognisant of the possibility that anything can go awry in the coming weeks and months ahead of the festival. Pater noted that as things currently stand, a number of measures are being put in place.

“I hope to tell you after this edition that it was an easy one, but for now, while in the middle of it, I must admit that there are several aspects that make it still complex. Many people have moved on from their jobs in the music industry and event sector in Europe since they didn’t have work for the last two years. So, it’s not business as usual.”

“We are puzzling with people, crew, and positions. And then there’s still COVID, the virus hasn’t disappeared, so we still need to keep in mind that it is not over yet. People still get sick and are quarantined and so on, which slows up the process. Protocols have been changed internally and there are many things that affected the festival while not been operative for the last two years,” she continued.

Despite this, however, at this time Reggae Geel will not be a vaccinated-only festival.

“Definitely not. To travel being vaccinated makes things less complicated but it is not a requirement to enter the festival. At least, for now. Again, we cannot predict the future. For now, in Belgium, all measurements were lifted. Yet, we all know that restrictions come and go when it comes to COVID, and we don’t know what the restrictions will be four months from now. But I am positive about the summer,” she said.

“The Belgium Embassy in Kingston, Ambassador Hugo Verbist and consul Joost Depaepe are keeping me informed about travel restrictions and Schengen visa processing. Since there are still restrictions on flying into Belgium from outside the Schengen area, it impacts my bookings and workflow progress,” she added

With this year being Jamaica’s 60th anniversary of Independence, Reggae Geel is tapping into that celebration.

“Reggae Geel takes place on the fifth and sixth of August 2022 which is also Jamaica’s Independence Day — 60th anniversary. It marks a special year, and you can expect nothing but the best artistes coming from the island. Reggae Geel is known for its Jamaican line-up, so I will bring you the best from upcoming artistes to known artistes. From roots to dub to dancehall to rocksteady and ska,” said Pater.