Free-flowing traffic for Rebel Salute?
Patrons making their way to Rebel Salute at Grizzly’s Plantation Cove in St Ann on Friday and Saturday will not have to bear heavy traffic, according to event organiser Tony Rebel.
“I am not concerned [about traffic]. We have our practical measures in place. We will have a lot of wardens in the parking lot for patrons to park quickly. So, if you can park five cars in 30 seconds, you’re able to get rid of the traffic and there will be no build-up. We have been there [at that location] for years and we have been able to solve those issues already. We are in close dialogue with the police and everything is all set,” he told the Jamaica Observer‘s weekly Auto magazine.
Tony Rebel further said that regular motorists will not be inconvenienced.
“It’s how we use the cones in the middle of the road. You set aside a part of the road for vehicular traffic for those going to MoBay and Kingston about their regular business so they won’t get caught up,” he explained.
On January 1, the traffic build-up leading to the Intimate Concert at the same location left many attendees outraged. Marcia Griffiths, one of the main acts, was delayed in arriving at the venue due to the traffic.
Despite a solid traffic plan in place, Tony Rebel is encouraging patrons to arrive at the St Ann venue early.
“Leave out from early as possible. Gates open at 5:00 pm, and we don’t want anybody to miss anything because the early part will be good too,” he said.
Rebel Salute was first held at the Fayor’s Entertainment Centre in Mandeville, Manchester, in 1994. It then moved to Brook’s Park, also in that town, then on to the Port Kaiser Sports Club in St Elizabeth before settling at Grizzly’s Plantation Cove since 2013.
The festival’s stage has seen performances by some of the biggest names in reggae and became an incubator for some young and little-known acts who would later grow to acclaim in music.