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Reggae Sumfest will look a little different this year, with organisers confirming that the 2026 staging of the festival will not take place in Catherine Hall in Montego Bay as usual. Instead, fans will be treated to “A Taste of Reggae Sumfest,” a special one-night event set for July 18 at Plantation Cove in St Ann.
According to Downsound Records CEO and Sumfest organiser Joe Bogdanovich, the move comes after the impact of Hurricane Melissa last October, which caused significant damage in sections of Montego Bay and affected event logistics in the area.
He stressed, however, that the shift is temporary and that Montego Bay remains the festival’s official home.
This year's one-day staging format will take the form of Gaza vs Gully, an event set to highlight two of dancehall’s most influential figures: Vybz Kartel and Mavado. The two will share the stage in a historic event after "over a decade of rivalry, 18 years in the making".
Tickets for the one-night staging are expected to go on sale soon.