Downtown Kingston was buzzing Sunday last with music, movement, visual art, and community pride as the ArtWalk Festival transformed the city into an open-air celebration of Jamaica’s creative power and cultural heritage.

Hosted by Arts NGO Kingston Creative, the festival brought together over 2,000 guests, with 100 artists, performers, vendors, cultural institutions, and residents for a full day of immersive experiences at Church Street and Water Lane in the downtown Kingston Art District.

The festival opened with a walk-through of artisan and food vendor booths, inviting patrons to meet creators, learn about their work, and support local enterprises. Throughout the day, free mural and augmented reality art tours departed from the Tours Desk, guiding participants through downtown Kingston’s evolving public art landscape, to the Institute of Jamaica and National Gallery, and reinforcing the area’s identity as a living cultural district.

A dynamic procession by the Southern Strikers Marching Band from Rae Town set the tone early, drawing crowds into the heart of the festival and showcasing the power of community-based performance. Cultural performances continued with a dance presentation by the Tivoli Dance Troupe, bringing movement and storytelling from neighbouring Tivoli Gardens to the main stage. This was followed by a special spotlight on Kingston’s skate culture, featuring the Jamaica Skate Culture Foundation and a live skateboarding demonstration with a mobile skate park, sponsored by the French and German embassies, underscoring the diversity of creative expression shaping urban Kingston.

A key highlight of the day was the donor plaque unveiling ceremony, where Kingston Creative formally recognised partners contributing to the development of the Downtown Kingston Art District. Nicole Burgher from the PAC Kingston Airport Limited (PACKAL), Anuoke Matthews, Great Wall Motors (Stewart’s Auto Jamaica),and Michael Maxwell from Digital Video Concepts, were acknowledged for their support. Executive director, kingston Creative, Andrea Dempster Chung outlined the organisation’s vision for the district, and reflected on the powerful contribution of the First 100 members to a transformed downtown.

One of the most-anticipated moments was the appearance of the Jonkunnu band, Jamaica’s iconic Christmas tradition. Through performance and dialogue with the band leader, the audience was taken on a journey through the history, symbolism, African roots, and regional variations of Jonkunnu, emphasising the importance of intergenerational cultural transmission.

As the afternoon unfolded, live music sets by Karbon, Bjorn, and SnaggaPuss energised the stage, while continued vendor spotlights encouraged patrons to support artisans, including creators from Treasure Beach in St Elizabeth and Westmoreland.

The festival culminated in a powerful headline performance by Grammy Award–nominated artiste Mortimer, drawing a large and enthusiastic crowd, who sang along word for word. His soulful reggae set closed the day on a high note.

The ArtWalk Festival, now in its eighth year, reaffirms downtown Kingston as a space where creativity, commerce, and community intersect. The festival demonstrated the role of the creative sector in urban revitalisation and cultural resilience.

The Artwalk festival is funded by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), the Jamaica Tourist Board and Great Wall Motors.

Sharing the frame at the festival were (from left) German Ambassador to Jamaica Jan Hendrik van Thiel and his wife Marina Siniavskaia; University of Technology’s (UTech) Andre Bowen; Andrea Dempster Chung, Kingston Creative executive director; French Ambassador to Jamaica Marianne Ziss; EduSkateme team members Tariq Davis, Jaiquan Dillon, Shemel Swady, and Ramese Wright; and Jamaica Skate Culture Foundation co-principals Remy Walter and his Kimberley Harris.Oh Zeen Entertainment

The iconic Pitchy Patchy was one of several Jonkunnu characters to perform at the festival. Oh Zeen Entertainment

Making a spirited appearance at the festival: The Jonkunnu Horse Head.Oh Zeen Entertainment

The Belly Woman takes a break from the traditional Jonkunnu performance for a quick photo-op.Oh Zeen Entertainment

Crowds gathered to take in the Artwalk Festival performances. Oh Zeen Entertainment

Grammy-nominated reggae artiste Mortimer commanded the stage during his set. Oh Zeen Entertainment

Captured during a break in the festivities were (from left) Anuoke Matthews, Great Wall Motors sales executive; Andrea Dempster Chung, Kingston Creative executive director; Nicole Burgher, human capital and compliance director, PAC Kingston Airports Limited (PACKAL); and Michael Maxwell, Digital Video Concept director. Oh Zeen Entertainment