The hills of St Elizabeth are set to reverberate with soulful reggae when internationally acclaimed singer Tarrus Riley headlines the next staging of the Lover’s Leap Lighthouse Series on Saturday, August 29.

The concert, being held at the iconic Lover’s Leap in St Elizabeth, is being positioned as more than a night of entertainment, with organisers hoping to further cement the parish’s reputation as a destination for music, tourism and curated experiences.

Jason Ricketts, communications, marketing, logistics, and creative director for the event, said Tarrus Riley was a natural choice for the latest instalment of the series.

“The Lover’s Leap Lighthouse Series symbolises an authentic display of soulful reggae music. ‘Singy Singy’ was chosen because we believe he’s a genuine artiste who represents this type of entertainment well,” Ricketts told the Jamaica Observer’s Splash.

From left: Organisers Jason Ricketts, David Thompson, Owen Rowe, and Dale Rowe.

What’s more, he said, “The people within St Elizabeth and the south coast requested him on every announcement of the show, so he has always been on our list of the most-sought-after artistes.”

As for the timing, Ricketts believes the opportunity to secure the veteran was one that could not be overlooked.

“Tarrus is such a good artiste that he’s almost always booked out internationally on major festivals. We were lucky enough to get a hold of him, which worked well in our favour as it’s the perfect way to end the summer on August 29,” he said.

The staging also forms part of a deliberate effort by the organisers to shift major entertainment experiences beyond the traditional Kingston and Montego Bay markets.

Tarrus Riley (Photo: Philp Lemonte)

According to Ricketts, St Elizabeth has steadily emerged as a destination for entertainment and adventure, following years of investment and persistence by the team behind the series.

“This is the result of consistent work in bringing shows like this together for the past seven years, despite sustaining major blows such as repetitive hurricane strikes,” he said.

For the organisers, however, the concerts are about more than attracting patrons to a single venue. They see entertainment as a vehicle for driving tourism and economic activity throughout the parish.

Ricketts pointed to the ripple effect created by the concerts, noting that hotels, Airbnb properties, restaurants, bars, farmers, vendors and other businesses benefit from the influx of visitors for the Lighthouse series.

Staging an event of this magnitude at Lover’s Leap, no doubt, comes with considerable financial risk and logistical demands. But the organisers are intentional about incorporating local products and produce into the execution, further contributing to the economic development of the parish.

“Success, for us,” he told Splash, “would be a great turnout with everyone left properly entertained by one of the world’s most powerful singers.”

Safety and security remain equally important.

“[I]t has and will always be a plus for us when the event is incident-free. It means our proactive approach worked,” Ricketts charged.

Behind the production is a team from Westpalm Venture Holdings Limited, which includes Ricketts, with Owen Rowe responsible for production, bookings, management, and creative direction.

David Thompson handles safety, security, engineering, maintenance, and environmental management, while Dale Rowe oversees accounts, business and human management.

Marketing consultant Romiech Major of Major Marketing is also part of the team.

And while the organisers are focused on delivering a memorable night, with Tarrus Riley, they are already looking ahead to the next chapter in the series.

“The Lighthouse series can expect the same energy and mature entertainment for our next instalment. It’s very hard to top the next show because of how good the previous one was, but we keep finding a way to do it as creative directors,” Ricketts said.