THE South Lawn of Devon House served as the perfect hub for romance last Saturday, as lovers journeyed from near and far for the third staging of The Edge’s 105 FM’s Lovers in the Park event.

Travelling from Spanish Town, St Catherine, couple Javel Wright and Garret Golding told the Jamaica Observer that the event was perfect to celebrate their love.

“We saw the event posted on social media and we decided that this would be a nice event to do our first Valentine’s Day together,” Golding said.

He shared that the two have been dating for little under a year, but were friends first before deciding to take the next step.

The couple placed second in the couples’ dance-off competition, and said the event allowed them to step out of their comfort zones.

Winners of the competition, married couple Paulette and Michael, said they travelled from Retreat, St Thomas to attend the event.

“We listen to Burgerman [Wesley “Burgerman” Burger] every day, [and] heard him advertising the event so we decided to come down and see what it was like,” Michael told the Observer after collecting the prize of a $10,000 meal voucher courtesy of Mystic Thai.

He said he was “a bit hesitant to enter the competition”, but was coerced by his wife of 19 years to enter.

“I think we have the experience, we have the know-how, because we have been doing these things for ages… The way we danced is the way we have been dancing ever since the day we met,” Paulette shared when asked how it felt to be winners.

Kadian Dennie, radio brand manager at The Edge 105 FM, told the Observer that the concept for the event came from the idea that not everyone could afford an expensive Valentine’s dinner, prompting the creation of an accessible, vibrant alternative where couples could celebrate, be entertained, and win prizes in a beautiful open-air setting.

“It is just for regular people who may not be able to go out and do an over the top dinner date, so this is just an opportunity for people who might be on a budget, they can come out and hang out and chill with their lovers,” Dennie said.

“Lovers in the Park continues to grow annually and has become a signature Valentine’s property for
Edge 105, focused on making the celebration of love accessible, interactive, and community driven,” she added.

Attracting a strong turn-out with a steady patron flow and high participation, the event featured live DJ music and on-location broadcasts from The Edge 105 team, interactive couples games, crowd challenges, and strong sponsor support.

Patrons enjoyed complimentary tastings including Rum Bar Rum Cream, Barilla Pasta, Xana Cider and Devon House Bakery.

The event featured a photo booth activation by Freeze Frame Ja, and a karaoke set-up by New Star Karaoke, both of which were major highlights and drove great engagement.

The event featured interactive games and crowd challenges, with strong participation. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)