Reggae Month will be observed under the theme “Come Ketch Di Riddim” for the 2025 edition this February.
Minister of Culture, Olivia Grange, gave an update on activities to mark the month during a ministerial statement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
A major highlight of the month will be the recognition of Marcia Griffiths, the Queen of Reggae, with the Icons Award for her decades-long career. She will be awarded during the Reggae Open University’s, JaRIA’s Reggae Wednesday concert series, and what Grange calls “the glamorous Reggae Gold Awards” on February 28. Apart from being awarded, Griffiths will also grace the stage with a performance alongside the Reggae Symphony Orchestra.
Activities to mark the month commence on February 1 with a tribute to reggae icon Dennis Brown at his resting place in National Heroes’ Park. On February 2, the Reggae Month Church Service will take place at Fellowship Tabernacle while the Bob Marley Tribute Concert will take place on February 6 at Emancipation Park.
Among the talent lineup for the concert are: Bushman, Warrior King, Aza Lineage, and other renowned Jamaican acts. Headliners are Marley’s son Julian Marley and grandson Skip Marley, alongside international acts such as Anti-Doping from Mexico and Nonpalidece from Argentina, highlighting reggae’s global influence.
Grange said Negril will come alive with events like the Wavz One Love Music and Jerk Weekend Fest (February 7–9) and Love at Woodstock Negril on Valentine’s Day, featuring Third World.
Other events include:
• The Island Music Conference from February 20–22 , bringing valuable discussions on music and the entertainment business.
• Dubsquad Music’s Tuesday Service, one of the newer players on the live music scene will mark their first anniversary on February 25.
• Dancehall Week which close out the activities and which will run from February 23 to March 2, spotlighting this vibrant genre.
“We invite Jamaicans and the people of the world to embrace the reggae vibe. It’s a spirit that resonates through the rhythm and the impactful lyrics of our talented artistes,” Grange said. The minister highlighted that Reggae Month activities extend far beyond the shores of Jamaica. “One of our key international partners, the Grammy Award-winning reggae band, Inner Circle, returns this year with an exciting lineup of events,” she said.
Inner Circle will be supporting several activities in South Florida, highlighting Jamaican artistes, businesses, and entrepreneurs in Fort Lauderdale, Miramar, Plantation, and Davie. As part of these celebrations, they will honour Rohan Marley, Ky-Mani Marley, and Toots and the Maytals, among others.
“This international engagement aligns seamlessly with our own exciting plans here in Jamaica,” Grange said, adding that “This Reggae Month promises to be a spectacular celebration of our music and culture. Let us seize this opportunity to showcase what makes Jamaica the envy of the world”.