Despite receiving the green light for its physical return later than usual, Jamaica Rum Festival (JRF), with a lot less time to prepare, managed to deliver its usual world-class experience with new now roots planted in Jamaica’s second city.

“Preparation this year was a little bit different because you know, we were inside still at the time and this normally takes us about 6-8 months to get right.

“So for this staging we were planning a hybrid approach, what could be a version of a inside/outside delivering of the festival… once we got the green light to go… it’s like muscle memory, everybody went back into their roles and we were able to roll out in this short amount of time,” Jamaica Rum Festival Director and Mystique CEO Valon Thorpe told Our Today.

Rating the June 25 turnout a 10/10, Thorpe said he was happy with Jamaica’s second city welcoming the festival with open arms.

Having now planted roots in Montego Bay, Thorpe explained that the St James capital is a great fit for the world-class-experience event, which not only targets Jamaicans but tourists as well. And, with Montego Bay being dubbed the tourist capital of the island, going forward, it is likely to be the new home of JRF.

“Jamaica Rum Festival is an inclusive platform, it is for all Jamaicans. We are a rum country and it is a part of culture where we identify music, sport, we’re also identifying rum. And… in Mobay where our biggest export happens, which is tourism. To be able to be here to experience a version of Jamaica, a hallmark of Jamaican culture, to also be Jamaican, that’s why the Jamaica Rum Festival is great fit for Montego Bay,” he explained.

Taking pride in providing a world-class experience, Thorpe shared his content from observing that patrons were enjoying their time responsibly at JRF, going on to acknowledge Appleton Rum Estate for their support and their work in making the island known as a rum country.

“I just want to use this as a big shoutout to Appleton Estate for identifying that rum and the rum-making process, and how they do things is what, in any global context, that makes us rum country. They are the leaders and for them to put their support behind an inactive like this, that brings Jamaicans together. it’s incredible,” he explained.

The Mystique CEO went on to laud other partners involved, noting their hard work and their shared vision for the JRF.