Welcome party to be held a day before Buju concert

As the date for the much-talked-about post-prison performance from Buju Banton draws near, the Long Walk to Freedom team has announced an official welcome party planned for Friday at Mas Camp.

The team said that the party will be just what patrons need to get the excitement going leading into Saturday’s main event.

Pointing out that visitors have already started to flood the island ahead of the concert, Banton’s publicist, Ronnie Tomlinson, told THE STAR that they have had to expand plans to include a whole weekend of activities.

“You can literally feel the excitement as we get closer to the big day. People have already begun to fly in, and what we have been hearing from them is that they do not want to stay in their hotel rooms until Saturday. They want a weekend of celebration, and we’re going to give them that,” she said.

Tomlinson pointed out that the event was originally set for Fiction Nightclub on Constant Spring Road but that based on the huge response from the public, they had to make a venue change in order to accommodate the influx of people expected to attend.

Mas Camp is slated to be transformed into ‘Ras Camp’ as the natural vibrations from the Gargamel’s music are set to ignite the venue.

Richie Feelings, Stone Love, Massive B, JamRock and Spex Da Boss will be taking turns at the consoles as they get the crowd warmed up and ready for Saturday’s event.

Gates are set to open at 10 p.m. Admission to the event is US$30 for general admission and US$50 for VIP. Tickets will be sold at the gate. The event is being held in association with Solid Agency, Rocker’s Island Production, Gargamel Music and Boom Energy Drink.

In addition to the welcome party, the big concert and the after-party, patrons will get the chance to attend another event on Sunday night before the first leg of the Long Walk to Freedom tour wraps up in Jamaica. That event is set for Fiction and is expected to close curtains on the weekend of activities.