REGGAE Sumfest has introduced another initiative to demonstrate appreciation to the people of Montego Bay for their hospitality and support of the festival over the past 29 years.

Dubbed Community Fest, the event combines the elements of a fun day for kids with a range of rides and games, entertainment by the youth of Montego Bay, and a number community services including medical tests and consultations by local medical facility Hospiten.Community Fest. It will be held on Monday, July 18 on the grounds of Pier 1 in Montego Bay between the hours of 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.

The event is being presented by Reggae Sumfest in partnership with the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI), the Social Development Commission (SDC) and Hospiten.

“The people of Montego Bay have welcomed thousands of people into their community — from all parts of the world and Jamaica — as they pour into the city to enjoy the offerings of Reggae Sumfest for our week of activities. They have shown great warmth and hospitality and we, in turn, must show — in a tangible way — that we are grateful for this support. In 2018 we established the street dance as our give back event to the people; it continues to grow in popularity every year. This year we wanted to do something that involved the entire family, and with the guidance and assistance of our partners the idea of a community festival evolved,” explained Joe Bogdanovich, chairman and CEO of DownSound Entertainment, producers of Reggae Sumfest.

President of the MBCCI, Oral Heaven is delighted with the initiative, which he sees as a positive alliance with the Reggae Sumfest team and an exemplary symbol of cooperation and collaboration with community partners Hospiten and the SDC.

“We need to present the youth of our community with options for positive living — and the community festival will do that as we showcase the musical talents that reside in our community. Among the highlights of the event are the performances by the Herbert Morrison Technical High School Band at the opening of the event, midday, and the closing. The membership of the MBCCI will also be sharing their products and services. Hospiten, a member of MBCCI, will be providing medical tests free of charge. We embrace this opportunity to serve our community in association with the Reggae Sumfest team,” said Heaven.

Denise Smith, supervisor of the Maroon Town Development Area for the SDC, has also welcomed the community festival.

“I wish it was lasting two days. I am happy for these first steps and I look forward to it growing in size and in participation. It is an excellent means of moving out of the COVID-19 cloud. The festival has something for all members of the family — the rides and slides for the children who have been starved of entertainment and a wide range of activities for adults,” she shared.

The SDC brings several elements to the event as it will have the performances of the finalists of the Community Stars competition. The corporation will also highlight the work of its Local Economic Development programme which promotes entrepreneurship and helps those community members with small businesses to bring their products to the required standards while also assisting with capacity building in packaging, marketing and financial management. Several of these small entrepreneurs will have products on display and for sale.

Hospiten intends to support the community event, providing medical services, consultations with a general practitioner, and educational sessions focused on health and wellness for adults and children — at no cost to patrons.

Chevaughn Miller, commercial director of Hospiten Jamaica, shared that the the medical facility is bringing partners on board.

“We invited the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the National Blood Transfusion Service to partner with us and support Community Fest by adding their services to the pool of medical offerings. They will educate visitors on the importance of protecting one’s health, share information on sex education, and also encourage blood donation by explaining the benefits to be gained. This reflects a significant public-private partnership effort as we work together to promote and protect the health of all Jamaicans.”