Jamaicans will celebrate the 61st anniversary of their country’s independence on Sunday 6 August, to mark the occasion there are a series of events over the weekend of 5–6 August devoted to the black, gold and green.
As you’d expect, jerk, rum punch, reggae, dancehall and dominos feature heavily in the various events taking place around the UK. They include The Official 61st Jamaican Celebration at Revolution in London’s Leadenhall Street (Sat, £10+); Birmingham Jerk Festival in Digbeth (1-10pm Sat, £12.50); and the Jamaican Beach & Sportswear Edition at Sheffield’s Temple Nightclub (11am-4pm Sat, £11.25).
Several events combine celebration of independence day with 75 Years of the Empire Windrush. There’s a Dinner & Dance at Kensington’s Copthorne Tara Hotel that includes a three-course meal, a steel band and the presence of Deputy High Commissioner Patrice Laird Grant and Bishop of Dover the Rt Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin (7pm Sat-12.25am Sun, £80-85). The Jamaica 0121 Festival promises stage shows, reggae and lovers rock stars, sounds, food stalls and cookery seminars in Aston Park, Birmingham (Sat-Sun, £15).
For hardcore music lovers, there’s Reggae Land at the National Bowl, Milton Keynes, which boasts Sean Paul, Beanie Man, Barrington Levy, Shy FX and David Rodigan among an array of top names, not to mention 50 food stalls (Sat-Sun, £9.50-£139.50).
Something to celebrate
On 23 July, Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz (ranked 43rd in the world) won their first-ever point in the Women’s World Cup by holding France (ranked 5th) to a draw. And that was despite playing one down when captain and top goal-scorer Khadija Shaw was shown the red card.
