Reggae Sumfest gets Toni Braxton encore

Reggae Sumfest, Jamaica’s flagship reggae and dancehall festival, returns to Montego Bay next month with r’n’b star Toni Braxton topping the bill on one of the main nights.

For Cayman Islands residents interested in attending, Sumfest runs from July 13–19 with a full week of music, parties, and cultural celebration. The festival culminates in two main concert nights, featuring top-tier talent across the reggae and dancehall spectrum.

Sixteen years after she last graced a Reggae Sumfest stage, Braxton is booked to close Jamaica’s biggest music festival with that unmistakable contralto. The seven-time Grammy winner is booked for Festival Night 2 (July 19) at Catherine Hall Stadium.

Her global hits include ‘Un-Break My Heart’, ‘He Wasn’t Man Enough’, and ‘Breathe Again’. Fans can expect a soulful, emotionally charged performance that resonates across generations. Braxton joins a Saturday line-up featuring reggae torch-bearers Tarrus Riley, Protoje, and Lila Iké.

Reggae Sumfest has grown into Jamaica’s marquee live-music event since launching in 1993. Each July, it transforms Montego Bay into a magnet for globetrotting fans eager for dancehall’s cutting-edge energy, reggae’s rootsy pulse, and a scattering of international stars. Alongside the nightly shows, patrons can sample jerk stalls, artisan markets, and a vibe that locals like to call “yaad niceness.”

Friday night’s show features as the main performers Vybz Kartel, Masicka, Tommy Lee Sparta and Skeng. There will also be tributes to Dennis Brown and Gregory Isaacs.