Reggae Sumfest “The history behind this great reggae festival.” This festival is held each year in the summer month of July, At the Catherine Hall Entertainment center, Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Sumfest as it is called locally in Jamaica was started on August 11, 1993 and ran through to the 14th.
It was started after the long running “Reggae Sun-splash” pulls its plugs from Montego Bay and moved to Ocho Rios. After the exit of sunsplash, the business community of Montego came together and formed the now world renown festival.
With there tag line “Promoting Music, the universal Force”, the founding members, Hartley Morris, John Gourzong, Robert Russell, Walter Elmore, Sydney Reid, Godfrey Dyer, the late Lucille Lue, Dennis Morgan, David Lindo, Walt Crooks, Josef Forstmayer, Heinz Simonitsch, Nathan Robb and Barry Jenoure, brain child reggae sumfest came to reality and is now the world’s biggest and best reggae festival.
Most of dancehall and reggae’s top artiste has already grace the the summer fest stage. Some of the more popular names are,Shaggy, Sean Paul, Damian “Junior Gong” Marley, Inner Circle, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Elephant Man, Sizzla, Steel Pulse, Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers, Beres Hammond, Burning Spear , Bunny Wailer, Third World, Morgan Heritage, Maxi Priest, Gregory Isaacs, Buju Banton, Mavado, Lady Saw, Macka Diamond, Gentleman, and Shabba Ranks as well as late greats Dennis Brown, Garnett Silk and Joseph Hill aka (Culture).