‘Not a Dream Weekend replacement’ More than just parties promised for new Negril Emancipendence

With the exit of Dream Weekend from Negril, a coalition of veteran entertainment promoters and tourism stakeholders are aiming to chart a new course with Negril Emancipendence, a two-week series of events set for July 31 to August 9.

Ryan ‘Kush’ Morrison, the president of the Negril Entertainment Association, said the series is built on long-standing events. 

“These are events that are down there for 10 or 15 years, some of them are 20 years old,” said Morrison. He said the organisers intentionally avoided relying on inexperienced promoters. “No new events, that’s what we go for, seasoned promoters who have over 10 years in the business,” he said.

Richard Wallace, director of tourism for the Negril Chamber of Commerce and chair of the Destination Assurance Council, has welcomed the move, describing it as an opportunity for local promoters to finally take centre stage.

“A lot of these local promoters felt left out when Dream used to come down and dominate,” said Wallace. “Well, it seems as if their prayers have been answered, because now Dream is gone, and now it’s up to them to prove that they can do what they said they could do in the past.”

Wallace said stakeholders are optimistic that the initiative can grow into a sustainable tourism product for Negril. 

“We wish them success, because their success is Negril’s success,” he said.

While acknowledging that large-scale entertainment events have historically brought challenges to the resort town, Wallace stressed the importance of planning ahead. 

“And, if we do that, success is pretty much guaranteed,” he said.

Though some may begin comparing Negril Emancipendence to Dream Weekend, Wallace does not want to term it as a ‘replacement’. 

“I prefer to use an ‘alternative’. Because I don’t think they’re trying to be Dream. They’re just trying to provide an alternative,” he said.

He pointed to plans for family-oriented and cultural activities, including a regatta and a swim across the harbour, as evidence that the initiative aims to offer more than just parties. 

“So, it’s more a cultural vibe than a party, party vibe,” Wallace added. “This is something that can never leave Negril.”

Among the promoters involved is Adrian Smart, founder of Red Cup Mashup Carnival, who revealed plans for a unique event. 

“For this year, we’ll be the first event in the history of Jamaica to have a beach march,” Smart said. “Not a road march, but a beach march.” The event is expected to move along sections of Negril’s famous seven-mile beach, potentially stretching from the Negril Beach Park area to Margaritaville. 

“Negril is known for the seven miles of sand and sea, so we’ll be taking part of that to actually have a beach march,” he explained. Smart said the organisers are now working through logistics, including timing and safety considerations linked to traversing the sand and heat conditions.

Meanwhile, hotelier and owner of Rum Runners Resort, H.D. Boyd, said the initiative could help stimulate tourism during traditionally slow periods. 

“It keeps my employees employed so I don’t have to lay people off,” Boyd said while discussing the impact of weekly entertainment events at his property. He praised the collaboration among stakeholders. 

“I like seeing the community come together and work together,” he said. “If everybody came together, we could bring Spring Break back.”

He added that the timing of the announcement was encouraging, especially following uncertainty after Dream Weekend’s departure from Negril.

“It was like, what’s going to come with the summer?” Boyd said. “And then, boom! I’m really excited about it.”