When Wickie Wackie Music Festival opens today, Thursday, February 12, it will once again transform Jamaica’s north coast into a vibrant celebration of reggae’s past, present, and future.

But among the three nights of performances, one moment is already carrying special emotional weight: Third World’s appearance on Saturday, February 14.

Set to be a performance dedicated to the memory of the band’s founding guitarist Irvin “Cat” Coore, who died late last month, singer Kumar Fyah says the night represents far more than a festival slot.

Born Kumar Bent, the singer will be performing alongside the remaining members of Third World in what is shaping up to be a homecoming, a farewell, and a tribute all rolled into one.

“This Wickie Wackie is definitely special,” Kumar said during a recent question-and-answer. “Cat Coore has been a light, a teacher, and friend to me over the years. He was instrumental in keeping Wickie Wackie Music Festival alive, so with his passing myself alongside the Third World band members will be paying our utmost respect to the man who changed our lives.”

Coore, affectionately known as Uncle Cat, was not only a founding pillar of Third World, but also a steady advocate for spaces that nurture live reggae music and cultural continuity.

Wickie Wackie, with its beach-front setting and emphasis on community, has long embodied those values, making the upcoming tribute especially fitting.

For Kumar, who has developed a close musical and personal bond with the band, the moment carries deep personal significance.

“[I]t’s been a privilege and an honour to have known Uncle Cat and to call Third World family,” he said.

For Saturday’s performance — the first Third World show in Jamaica since Coore’s passing — fans can expect the group’s signature blend of roots reggae, soul, and pop-inflected harmonies. The emotional undercurrent, however, is expected to be unmistakable.

“Expect a night with great music filled with honest expressions,” Kumar shared. “It will be one to remember.”

Kumar’s presence with Third World has sparked curiosity among fans, but he is clear about the nature of the relationship.

“Third World is my family,” he explained. “I am more like an extended member. When I travel with them I open for the band and sometimes join them on stage for a song or two.”

Following the resting of his former group Raging Fyah, Kumar has focused on his solo work while continuing to grow through his association with Third World.

“Third World has since invited me along for the ride, and it’s been great learning and growing,” he said.

The tribute performance forms part of Wickie Wackie’s carefully curated Foundation Night, which honours legendary artistes whose work has shaped Jamaican music across generations. Alongside Third World, the line-up includes JC Lodge, Etana, Turbulence, The Abyssinians, and other stalwarts of the genre, reinforcing the festival’s reputation as a meeting point between legacy and living culture.

As Wickie Wackie prepares to welcome campers, families, and reggae lovers from across the island and beyond, Kumar sees the festival as more than a concert series — it is a communal gathering rooted in shared values.

“We are a family-oriented event, providing clean fun, great music around good people,” he said.

For many, Saturday night’s tribute is expected to stand as a defining moment of the festival — an expression of gratitude, remembrance and continuity, carried on the rhythms Cat Coore helped shape and sustain.

Kumar Fyah (Photo: Naphtali Junior)