NY promoters to stage Elite Weekend
Published:Thursday | January 11, 2024 | 12:09 AMAnthony Turner/Gleaner Writer
“Jamaica, we are excited to be home and we plan to deliver an upscale, premium party series like we do in the Big Apple,” is the message from New York Elite Weekend executive Sephron Mair, who spoke at the launch at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston recently.
The collaborative two-day event – March 16 and 17, showcases the chic All-Blue ‘Bleu & Bougie’ and the classy All-White Soirée en Blanc at the iconic Devon House. Both events are food and drinks inclusive, and will provide the best in Jamaican/American cuisine. Patrons are urged to come out early as both events begin at 4 p.m. and end at 11 p.m.
The event will be staged two days before the ISSA Boys & Girls’ Athletics Championships unfolds at the National Stadium in Kingston, and Jerry McDonald, executive of The Elite Weekend, told The Gleaner that this was deliberate.
“Champs is a magnet for Jamaican sports enthusiasts living in the diaspora. A little-known fact is that the championship brings more Jamaicans home than most events that are held in capital city Kingston. Many of our trusted patrons who are avid supporters of Blue & Bougie and Soirée En Blanc in the USA, travel to Jamaica each year for Champs. They have deep pockets and most importantly they love to party. Our marketing campaign will not just target them but patrons living in Jamaica, especially party lovers in Kingston and surrounding communities. We are happy to have this opportunity to unite Jamaicans at home with those in the diaspora. It is gonna be a movie!” an enthusiastic McDonald stated.
Mair said that proceeds from The Elite Weekend will support Team Jamaica Bickle, a non-profit organisation that provides support services for Caribbean athletes, particularly Jamaicans who compete at the annual Penn Relays held in Philadelphia, USA.
Speaking about Devon House, he shared, “This is one of the most celebrated historical landmarks in Jamaica and is the architectural dream of Jamaica’s first black millionaire, George Stiebel. The iconic space is synonymous with fun, family entertainment and recreation in Kingston. We are excited about the first staging and we plan to make it a memorable, elite weekend.”