High-riding dancehall artiste Capleton will headline a line-up of dancehall and reggae heavyweights on the Snow on the Island event set for Hope Gardens on February 3.

“Capleton is one of the hottest dancehall artistes in dancehall today and he is going to blaze a huge fire at Snow on the Island, he might melt the venue,” Marcia Holder, chief financial officer of Island Breeze Entertainment, joked.

Holder said that the Hope Gardens venue will be transformed into a sparkling, twirling, dancing panorama of drifting snow and frozen wonderland.

“We’re using bio-degradable snow; it’s environmentally-friendly, the one that comes out of the machine just melts away. It’s going to be a scenery of snow, winter flowers and branches, and the stage will have winter balloons…a real winter wonderland,” Holder explained.

Snow On the Island will also feature the talent of Shane O, Jahmiel, Myoka, Gaza-Sheba, Horace Andy, King Soloman, Provherbs, Ttwin Star, Zebulun, Majah Bless, Synnocent, Hiyah Grade Band, the Tivoli Marching Band, Ashe Performing Arts Company, and the Tivoli Dance Troupe.

“We have put together an exciting entertainment package for them which includes some of Jamaica’s best entertainers. It’s going to be a night of non-stop fun and excitement,” Holder continued.

She believes that the event will add to the island’s tourism offering, while “showcasing world-class talent that embodies the spirit of our ancestors and their journey to Jamaica”.

Patrons who purchase tickets for the event directly from the Snow On The Island website will be automatically entered into a grand raffle which will take place at the venue on the night of the event.

The first prize winner will receive an iPhone 15, the second prize winner will receive four Snow On The Island VVIP tickets, and the third prize is four VIP tickets for the event.

Measures are already in place to ensure smooth, orderly parking.

“Capleton is going to make this event very memorable,” Holder said.

Capleton remains one of the most enduring artistes of his generation. His album Prophecy, released by DefJam, peaked at #65 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart in 1995. He scored seminal dancehall hits such as Tour, which peaked at #57 on the Hot 100 Chart; Wings of The Morning, which soared to #79; and Heathen Rage, which was #79 on the R&B Hip Hop Songs Chart.

He has enjoyed other successes during his career with Grammy-nominated albums and worldwide tours. He has had several local hits like Lotion Man, Almshouse, More Fire, and Jah Jah City.

The “Fireman” was recently featured in DJ Khaled’s 2023 Grammy-nominated album God Did on the track The Streets Know My Name with Skillibeng, Sizzla, Bounty Killer, and Buju Banton.

He also featured on the album Khaled Khaled, on the track Where You Come From, along with Buju Banton, Barrington Levy, and Bounty Killer.

Organisers suggest that the Snow On the Island event will become an annual calendar item.