Change of location of VIP section at Fireworks Festival a ‘last resort’

UDC General Counsel and Chairman of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) Fireworks Committee, Ewan Simpson, says that this year’s new layout which saw the stage at the annual Fireworks Festival more centrally located, instead of at one end of the long Ocean Boulevard, “was better for logistics and the general feel of the event”.

Additionally, Simpson noted that the location of the pay-to-enter VIP section, which served as a barrier between the performers on stage and the rest of the people, was a last-minute design.

“The location of VIP was not part of the initial plan, but was a last resort decision due to last-minute supplier challenges from our venue buildout team,” Simpson told The Gleaner, adding that the new design – which came with a fabulous stage – was intended to make the Kingston Waterfront and the fireworks display on it the centrepiece for the New Year celebration.

As they have been doing since 1999, the UDC staged its free ‘Fireworks on the Waterfront’ festival on New Year’s Eve, attracting hundreds of couples and entire families to downtown Kingston to ring in the new year. The biggest attraction of the night is always the glitzy, breathtaking fireworks at midnight. However, performances from up-and-coming and well-recognised reggae, gospel and dancehall acts always score high on the evening’s agenda.

Unfortunately, however, owing to the location of the VIP, a chasm was created which prevented the flow of energy between the ‘massive’ and the artistes. Simpson vowed that this will not be repeated.

“The intention was always and going forward will be to have that entire area in front of stage available to all patrons without restriction, which would allow for the great energy of our audience to be properly distributed and for our artistes to feel that up close,” the Festival Committee chairman pledged.

Among the night’s performers were Third World, Nadine Sutherland, Rondell Positive, Ras-I, Kumar, Sevana, D’Yani, Yard Empire, Angel Eyes, Courtney Cooke and Kuzik.

For 2023, the UDC added Harmony Beach Park in Montego Bay, St James, to the two other venues – the Kingston Waterfront and Ocho Rios Bay Beach in St Ann. The chosen theme was ‘Life, Love and Harmony’, which Simpson told JIS News, “reflects the corporation’s desire for transformation through the marriage of the island’s waterfront spaces with entertainment, and the celebration of a New Year”.

Simpson, who is also chairman of the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association, also mentioned that the year-end event was a testament to UDC’s desire to improving the quality of life for Jamaicans.

“We want people across Jamaica to live a better life. People know the UDC as an urban planner and developer, but our driving force for this urban planning and this development is the transformation of the lives and the lived experience of the Jamaican people. The transformation of the landscape for a better quality of existence… our cultural products reflect this,” he said.

yasmine.peru@gleanerjm.com