‘Wee Pow’ happy as Weddy Weddy Wednesdays returns

As of this Wednesday, one of the longest-running weekly events to be held at the same venue, Weddy Weddy Wednesdays, is back on the calendar.

"We are up and running and looking forward to it. Weddy is classified as a small event - under 100 persons - and we have all our permits. I notice that the fees are cut in half, so that is one step in the right direction, but more still needs to be done," the event co-conceptualiser and Stone Love CEO, Winston 'Wee Pow' Powell, told THE STAR.

"However, we are in high spirits to embrace the return of our weekly Wednesday event and we know that Weddy fans are breathing a sigh of relief that the entertainment sector is finally freed up. All COVID-19 protocols remain in place, including hand sanitising, temperature checks, the wearing of face masks and social distancing," he outlined.

It has been close to one year since the weekly dance, which is just a few weeks shy of celebrating its 17th anniversary, was held. Weddy Weddy Wednesdays had a short reprieve last June when the window was cracked open by the authorities before it was locked again because the COVID-19 cases started to rise.

"We tek a beating"

Like many promoters and partygoers, Powell is hopeful that the window will remain open this time around. "We tek a beating. A bad beating. My selectors have to be all over the place trying to find things to do to pay their bills. Entertainment is our full-time job, we are not promoters on the side. Therefore we have nothing to fall back on. It is very important that we all observe the protocols, including the curfew, and ensure that nobody can point a finger at us. We need the entertainment sector to stay open so we all need to play our part," he said.

With an 11 p.m. curfew in place, Powell is encouraging Weddy Weddy Wednesdays fans to come out early. "We will be starting at 5 p.m. sharp and closing off promptly at 10. So let's come out and enjoy ourselves for a few hours and go home, until next week," he appealed.

Powell told THE STAR that Wappings, the weekly Thursday street dance at Mall Road in Kingston, was held the first day of the reopening and it went very well. He was also planning to support his friend Whitfield 'Witty' Henry at Uptown Mondays.

Weddy Weddy Wednesdays, which is held every week at Stone Love's headquarters, 41 Burlington Avenue in St Andrew, started out as the uptown version of Passa Passa, a popular, weekly street dance that used to be held in West Kingston. Over the years, Weddy Weddy Wednesdays has become synonymous with dancehall, giving many artistes and selectors their 'buss'.