HANOVER, Jamaica – Vendors outside the gates of this year’s staging of Dream Weekend are hoping that they will be able to generate substantial earnings in sales from the event.

While the party got started Friday night, the OBSERVER ONLINE visited two locations associated with the event early Friday evening, hours ahead of the original scheduled time.

One female vendor who did not wish to be identified stated that sales were excellent the night before at another event that took place in Negril and she is expecting the same from the popular Dream Weekend party.

“One party gwaan las nite, that sell off. Thousands ah wi owna black people (were in attendance). Mi ah di ongle person dat sell drinks dung deh, everybody else ah sell jerk chicken and mi hoping fi di same (with Dream Weekend)” the vendor said.

Another vendor who identified himself as Leeroy from Savanna-la-Mar said he has been selling at Dream Weekend since its inception in 2009. He said this year is expected to be a success for vendors similar to previous years.

“Believe mi, mi neva si nuh Dream Weekend wah neva work out. Nuh matter how yuh seet look because little from this, yuh ah guh start si people, yuh nah guh believe. Mi cyaan tell yuh seh nuh Dream Weekend keep and it nuh go on. If it even rains, the people them in ah white, red and black ah party same way. Everybody enjoy themselves and wi mek ah sale. So, mi waan fi know why dem ah fight against wi now and ah do dis,” questioned Leeroy who was making reference to a decision by the organisers not to allow vendors within 150 feet of the gate to the venue.

Plans to place vendors in a designated area were abandoned and vendors are now able to sell 150 feet from the entrance of the venues.

Leeroy, who sells jerk chicken and soup among other things, set up his stall more than 150 feet away from the main entrance located at Long Bay Beach Park. Even though he has complied, the entrepreneur is questioning the rationale behind the decision not to allow vendors at the entrance.

“Mi wuda like to kno wah mek dem waan push wi 150 feet aweh. Wah a di problem. Wah did di sellers duh. A dat mi wud like to know,” Leeroy stated.

“People cum an neva had any dispute wid di sellers. Dem nuh have any problem wid wah dem buying. Dem a satisfy wid wah dem get,” Leeroy added.

OBSERVER ONLINE also came across people walking with bags in hand selling peanuts and masks among other items at the Kool Runnings Waterpark ticket area. However, they shied away from speaking with the media.

Anthony Lewis