Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) kicks off its 2026 Reggae Month celebrations internationally with a Tribute to Dennis Brown at the Hard Rock Guitar Hotel in Florida today, January 31, 2026, and in Jamaica on Sunday, February 1, 2026 with Honouring the Crown Prince at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMCVPA) Amphitheatre in partnership with the Dennis Brown Trust.

JaRIA is celebrating 17 years of advocacy and service to Jamaica’s creative community under the theme ‘Rhythms of Resilience’, through a series of events marking Reggae Month 2026 scheduled to run from January 31 to February 27, 2026.

This year’s theme reflects the determination of Jamaica’s cultural practitioners to continue creating and uplifting communities, while driving national inspiration, even amid ongoing financial challenges and post-Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts affecting the creative industries.

“Reggae Month has always been about more than concerts,” said JaRIA Chairman Ewan D A Simpson, “It is a declaration that our music, our creativity, and our cultural ecosystem are essential to nation-building. Even where sponsorship support has been slow we remain committed to producing meaningful, world-class programming that honours our icons and inspires the next generation.”

As part of its continued focus on education and tertiary institution collaborations JaRIA will once again partner with EMCVPA to stage its popular Reggae Wednesdays series, while also expanding the Reggae Open University (ROU) programme to tertiary institutions across Kingston, Montego Bay, Mandeville, and Port Antonio.

The opening Tribute to Dennis Brown at the Hard Rock Guitar Hotel in Florida is presented in collaboration with Vision Band, which will also be in Jamaica for the February 1 show at 8:00 pm in partnership with the Dennis Brown Trust.

The month’s activities continue with four Reggae Wednesdays, Back 2 Bass-es on February 4, Rocking the Cliff: Tribute to Jimmy Cliff at Coral Cliff in Montego Bay on February 11, Resilient Praise on February 18, and Bands Rewind on February 25.

In keeping with its mission of collaboration and cultural unity, JaRIA will also continue to support and endorse Reggae Month activities across Jamaica and the Diaspora, including Reggae Month Miami activities featuring Inner Circle; Toronto Reggae Month celebrations honouring Leroy Sibbles in partnership with Kreative Movement Inc; Wickie Wackie Music Festival in Bull Bay, St Andrew; and the I-Frequency series held on the first and third Thursdays of February at Bamboo Splash JA.

Simpson continued: “These partnerships show the reach and strength of reggae from Kingston to Florida, Toronto, and beyond. Reggae Month is a living movement connecting our culture with communities across the world.”

JaRIA promotes advocacy, professional development, education, research, and the celebration of Jamaica’s music ecosystem, working to ensure that reggae remains a dynamic cultural, social, and economic force for Jamaica and the world.