One Love Festival to debut in Jamaica

Jamaican singer Ken Boothe.
Photo by Winston Rodney

Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlet says the island’s tourism industry is poised to benefit from the inaugural One Love Festival (OLF) 2025, which will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at Woodstock, Negril, Jamaica.

Event conceptualizer and founder Yasus Afari told Caribbean Life on Tuesday: “We are looking to mobilize thousands of music lovers from the tri-state area and other parts of the USA for the OLF, which will be an eclectic, one day and night music festival, offering a (w)holistic cultural experience into the inspiring life and soul of Jamaica.”

Afari said the event is being promoted by SenYAcum in association with Woodstock and IMAGES LLC in New York.

“One Love Festival is designed as a safe, inspirational space where lovers of Jamaican music, and culture in Jamaica and in the Diaspora can meet and greet and celebrate life in safety, one love and comfort,” he said.

“In fact, we are pivoting on our mantra of ‘One Earth, One Love, One Humanity,’ in the spirit of our national pledge,” he added.

Afari said that the “evening to night session” starts with an innovative opening ceremony, with the introduction of local and international celebrity guests and special invited delegations visiting from abroad, along with sponsors, dignitaries and other public personalities.

He said this will be followed by the main event, “a live band music experience, the One Love Festival 2025 show, featuring an impressive array of national and international performers, with clean, intelligent reggae music.”

Jamaican Reggae singer Bushman.
Jamaican Reggae singer Bushman. Photo by Winston Rodney

Afari said confirmed performers include veteran singer Ken Bothe, Bushman, Junior Toots, Anslom from Papau New Guinea, Brian Holt, Nkechi (the Black Goddess), Yasus Afari & All Star Drummers, Step by Step Band and others.

Afari said the day time session includes activities such as Breakfast at Sunrise; Beach Yoga; The Reasoning Temple – The Cultural Needle Eye; Jamaica Music Museum’s Display Presentation; the Intergenerational Health and Wealth Creation Sessions; Integrated Arts Workshops; Water Sports; and a Celebrity Lunch coupled with a Food and Nutrition Demo/Tasting.

In addition, he said the University of the West Indies’ Jamaica Language Unit will host “Patwa Taakin” language,  music – from Ska and reggae to dancehall – and supper at sunset.