Like several of their counterparts, the promoters of Hard Wine are looking to tap into the US market come 2024. This disclosure was made by Shawn Parkinson, a director of Hard Wine, during an interview with the Jamaica Observer during the staging of the most recent event which was held on Saturday night at Mas Camp.

“Hard Wine is held three times annually, in February, July and in November. Come 2024, we plan to take the event overseas. We are looking to enter the US market, places like Florida and New York,” said Parkinson.

He added, “With our diaspora being so vast, there’s a big demand for what we offer here at Hard Wine.”

Sponsored by Campari, Hard Wine was first held 15 years ago, and according to Parkinson, the event has grown exponentially.

“Hard Wine’s demographic is really from The University of the West Indies (Mona) campus. Fifty per cent are college students and the rest have graduated and continue to support Hard Wine,” Parkinson disclosed.

At Saturday night’s event, a top collection of DJs including DJ Lantern, DJ Richie Ras, Kevi Di Kinetic and Franco, alongside MCs Fyahman and Zess, provided high-powered sets that saw Mas Camp transformed into a dancing inferno.

“A lot of hard work, a lot of dedication went into putting this together. I mean we’ve been doing this for 15 years and it’s just no room for complacency. We’re always thinking about the patrons and keeping up with new trends and keeping the product fresh for the audience,” said Parkinson.

He continued, “We empower our DJs to be very creative, to break the rules and just be free and don’t come with a script. We try to ensure we book the top local and overseas DJs to keep our patrons entertained.”

DJ Lantern who has played at several editions of Hard Wine spoke about his set, which included songs by Ding Dong, Masicka’s Tyrant, Brysco’s Code, Malie Donn’s V6 and a barrage of soca treats.

“Well, you know from it’s Hard Wine, the vibe is always good, the vibe is always great. I’ve been doing this event for a number of years now, and every time it’s the same high-energy party. People come to enjoy themselves and have a good time,” DJ Lantern shared.

For DJ Richie Ras, whose set included Come Home by Skinny Fabulous and Nailah Blackman, Run Wid it by Mr Killa and several power soca hits, Hard Wine was a lot of fun.

“Preparing for an event like Hard Wine, I ensure that my musical knowledge is wide enough to be able to not repeat songs. Everything I do is freestyle,” he disclosed.

He added, “Hard Wine is always a vibe, full of energy. For me, it was great from the start and people were just full of energy and we took it from one level to the next.”

Scores of patrons formed groups and worked up a sweat dancing to a mix of dancehall and soca delicacies. Some threw water into the crowd, which added another dimension to the proceedings.

It was DJ Kevi Di Kinetic’s set that brought Hard Wine to a simmering close. With the Black Eyed Peas’ chart-topping single I Got a Feeling, Katy Perry’s Hot N Cold, Beautiful Girls by Sean Kingston and Fun’s We Were Young hitting patrons like missiles, there was an accelerated vibe that continued till the curtains came down at minutes after 3 am.