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| Reggae Sunsplash | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Reggae,dancehall, etc. |
| Location(s) | NorthernJamaica, international |
| Years active | 1978–96, 1998, 2006 |
| Founders | Synergy Productions Ltd |
| Website | Reggae Festival Guide |
Reggae Sunsplash was areggaemusic festival held annually inJamaica from 1978 to 1996, with additional events in 1998 and 2006. The festival expanded to include international tours in 1985 and was revived as a virtual event in 2020 by Tryone Wilson, Debbie Bissoon and Randy.
The Reggae Sunsplash festival was jointly conceived by four Jamaicans—Tony Johnson, Don Green, Ronnie Burke and John Wakeling. These four individuals established Synergy Productions Ltd, a company responsible for the promotion and production of the Reggae Sunsplash festival.[1]
The first Reggae Sunsplash festival took place atJarrett Park inMontego Bay, Jamaica, in June 1978. The event commenced at dusk and continued until dawn over a span of seven days. With the support of Peter Martin, a veteran in Jamaican tourism, and his public relations firm, Peter Martin Associates, the festival garnered international recognition. It was promoted as the "biggest reggae festival in the history of the world".
Reggae Sunsplash introduced the concept of combining music and travel to boost tourism inJamaica. Prior to the festival, Jamaican hotels typically closed during the summer season. The festival's annual staging by its five founding partners helped establish a new summer tourist season in the region. The event's success also prompted the emergence of other annual music festivals acrossJamaica and theCaribbean islands. As attendance increased, so did the demand for accommodations, leading some attendees to adopt the practice of camping on local beaches during the festival.[2]
To promote Jamaica as a tourist and traveling target inEurope, the Jamaica Tourist Board invited the German bandSupermax as the opening act of the annual festival in Montego Bay in 1983. From 1981, the festivals were filmed and recorded, with several videos and albums released, the first beingReggae Sunsplash '81: Tribute to Bob Marley, released byElektra Records.[3] From 1987 the festival included asound clash event, with finalists from a nationalsound system competition competing as a precursor to the rest of the festival.[3] The festival also expanded to include an 'oldies night' featuring stars from past eras of Jamaican music. For many years the festival was emceed byTommy Cowan.[4]
In 1984 the Reggae Sunsplash festival expanded into international events with a one-day festival staged atSelhurst Park inLondon,England. In 1985, the Reggae Sunsplash World Tour was launched in theUnited States andJapan and subsequent years saw the Reggae Sunsplash festival touring extensively throughout North America, Europe, South America, and the Far East. 1991 saw the introduction of a "Caribbean Night" featuring other Caribbean music such assoca, and the following year the festival's scope increased further with the addition of a "World Beat Night".
While the festival had become hugely popular, opening new global tourist niche markets to Jamaica and attracting millions of dollars of foreign exchange into the country, it had not been a financial success, largely due to the lack of sponsorship or government support. In 1995 the Chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board operating through a company called Radobar Holdings Ltd offered financial assistance in exchange for equity in Synergy Productions, the founders of Reggae Sunsplash. This initial offer was never consummated and in a disputed claim Radobar Holdings announced the formation of a company called Reggae Sunsplash International in Jamaica and proceeded with the hostile takeover of the Reggae Sunsplash festival. The first attempt at staging Reggae Sunsplash without the original owners Synergy Productions in 1996 was a financial disaster for the new claimants. In 1997 the Reggae Sunsplash festival was postponed until 1998 to hold celebrations of the birth of Bob Marley but more losses were incurred.[5]
The festival was re-established by the Johnson family in 2006, but it was unsuccessful.[6] However, the international touring festival has continued.
Two of the founding directors, John Wakeling and Tony Johnson, have died. With the passing of Tony Johnson, several individuals have unsuccessfully tried to claim the rights to the festival, and all have failed to recapture the spirit of the original festival. Don Green and Ronnie Burke are the two remaining Reggae Sunsplash founders alive.
In August 2015 it was announced that Burke would be awarded theOrder of Distinction by the Jamaican government in recognition of his contribution to the development of Jamaican music.[7]
Reggae Sunsplash returned as a virtual festival on November 27–28, 2020 after a 14-year absence.[8] Performers includedTanya Stephens,Richie Spice,Capleton, Masicka,Dexta Dapps,Jesse Royal,Agent Sasco, andRomain Virgo.[9]
