Top things to know
- Third World and Big Mountain will headline the Holding On Benefit Concert & Festival at Wavz Beach in Negril from January 14–17, 2027.
- The event aims to construct two one-bedroom self-contained units for vulnerable Hurricane Melissa survivors in Westmoreland, with the public selecting the beneficiaries.
- Organisers also seek support for a mammography machine at Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital and plan to distribute care packages and school supplies.
- The lineup includes Tanya Stephens, Kevin Lyttle, Nigy Boy, T-Drive, Popeye Caution, Ed Robinson, Sherell Rosegreen and Hezron.
- The festival is presented by Nelcia’s Natural Herbs in association with reggae singer Hezron Clarke.
International reggae bands Third World and Big Mountain are set to lead a four-day fundraising event aimed at helping Hurricane Melissa survivors in Westmoreland transition from temporary shelters into permanent homes.
The Holding On Benefit Concert & Festival is scheduled for January 14–17, 2027, at Wavz Beach in Negril. According to organisers, the event is presented by Nelcia’s Natural Herbs in association with reggae singer Hezron Clarke. The musical lineup also includes Tanya Stephens, Kevin Lyttle, Nigy Boy, T-Drive, Popeye Caution, Ed Robinson, Sherell Rosegreen and Hezron.
Denise Smith, the event’s conceptualiser, said in a release that the primary goal is to secure major sponsors to assist vulnerable families currently living in temporary shelters. “The public will choose the families who will benefit from the proceeds,” Smith said. “We are seeking to construct two one-bedroom self-contained units for vulnerable families.”
Beyond housing, the festival’s charitable programme includes support towards a mammography machine for the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital, intended to strengthen breast-cancer screening and early detection. Organisers also listed care packages, school supplies, hygiene kits and community services for children, women and families among the initiative’s stated goals.
The programme opens on Thursday, January 14, with Wavz of Praise Gospel, followed by Agency Day & Community Festival on Friday, January 15. Saturday’s We Rise Night will be followed by Family Funday on Sunday, January 17, when an official handing-over of benefits is also advertised. Individual performance dates for the announced artistes have not yet been specified.
Spanning gospel, reggae and dancehall, Holding On is being positioned as both a musical gathering and a community effort, drawing on sponsorship, audience participation and artiste support to help people still rebuilding their lives. For Smith and her collaborators, the measure of success will extend beyond the crowd at Wavz Beach to the assistance the festival can deliver.