Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival

View on map
MusicMontego Bay
DatesDates TBA · Usually AprilCheck locally before booking
DurationAnnualEstimate from available data
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forLive music, late nightsThe festival's genre name understates its
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: JMD
CategoryMusicFestival type
The story

Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival in Montego Bay

A jazz, blues, and soul festival launched at Rose Hall near Montego Bay with Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers and George Benson headlining, modeled on the St Lucia Jazz Festival. Rising infrastructure costs pushed the main concerts to the larger Trelawny Multi-Purpose (Greenfield) Stadium in neighboring Trelawny parish starting around 2010.

Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers and George Benson headlined the inaugural Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival at the Aqueduct venue opposite Rose Hall Great House near Montego Bay, a three-day format organizers modeled directly on the St Lucia Jazz Festival after conversations between promoter Walter Elmore and St Lucia's tourism director Allen Chastanet.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

The festival's genre name understates its range: bookings mix jazz and blues headliners with reggae, R&B, and soul acts, a strategy organizers use to market it as one of the more musically diverse events in the region

02

The mystery stays covered

Its venue history is also unusual among Jamaican festivals in this batch, having begun at the historic Rose Hall estate and later shifted its main concerts to a stadium in a neighboring parish once temporary-infrastructure costs at the original site became unsustainable

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

Multi-night headline concerts blending jazz

Water and renewal

Living ritual

and soul acts have remained the format's constant

The sacred route

Living ritual

even as the host venue shifted from the Rose Hall estate to a larger stadium setting

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually April

Getting around

Plan routes around set times, late-night exits, and crowded transport after headline acts.

What to wear

Smart-casual evening wear is common for stadium concert nights; comfortable shoes are useful given stadium-scale walking and standing.

Safety

At Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, agree on a meeting point and plan food, water and the return route before crowds thicken.

Where to stay

Choose lodging by the part of Montego Bay you will actually use, not only by the cheapest room.

Tickets/cost

Ticketing varies by venue and stage. Confirm official passes before booking travel.

Language/currency

JMD

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map18.47 N, 77.92 WOpen in Google Maps

Montego Bay, St. James, Jamaica

Nearest airportMBJ — Sangster
TransportPlan routes around set times, late-night exits, and crowded transport after headline acts.
Stay areaChoose lodging by the part of Montego Bay you will actually use, not only by the cheapest room.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Montego Bay via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Montego Bay, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for April.Compare faresFestival gearSmart-casual evening wear is common for stadium concert nights; comfortable shoes are useful given stadium-scale walking and standing.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Jamaica and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival?

Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival is listed for April. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival take place?

The festival is listed in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

Annual is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Montego Bay, St. James, Jamaica

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLvisitjamaica.com
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually April
Source statusOfficial source linked
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