The 24th staging of Jamaica’s annual Reggae Sumfest will be held from July 17 – 23 when thousands of Reggae music fans converge in tourist capital Montego Bay.

The revamped weeklong music festival dubbed the “Greatest Reggae Show on Earth,” will feature beach parties and a performances line up of locally and internationally acclaimed Jamaican Reggae and Dancehall acts.

This year’s staging will also see Reggae Sumfest introducing live 360o virtual reality streaming for the public, including fans abroad, to experience the festival on any device over the internet via http://www.reggaesumfest.com/.

New franchise owner of Reggae Sumfest, businessman Joe Bogdanovich said the changes to this year’s staging is what fans have been calling for. “We really want to focus on providing a great experience from start to finish for patrons and this year we decided we want to give local acts the opportunity to entertain, an authentic Reggae/Dancehall experience fans have wanted for the longest while.”

He added that the high quality productions that will be live streamed will also give fans the opportunity to witness the shows as if in person.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett lauded the show’s contribution to the tourism sector. “Every year Reggae Sumfest attracts thousands of tourists who come to enjoy one of the world’s most popular genre of music. Their presence contributes to the economy and strengthens brand Jamaica’s influence here and abroad.”

Reggae Sumfest will kick off on Sunday, July 17 with a Sumfest Beach Party at the Aqua Sol Theme Park, followed by the All-White Party on Tuesday, July 19 at Pier 1.

This year’s staging will also have two concert nights and see the introduction of ‘Sound Explosion’ on Thursday, July 21 at Pier 1. Sound Explosion will have sounds systems Stone Love, Black Kat, Firelinks and Tony Matterhorn spin the biggest hits of yester-year.

Dancehall night will take place on Friday, July 22, 2016 at Catherine Hall and will be headlined by Beenie Man, Assassin, Spice, Popcaan and I’Octane.

The show will conclude on Saturday, July 23 with Reggae Night featuring megastars Barrington Levy, Sanchez, Busy Signal, Tarrus Riley, and others.

Meanwhile, Reggae Sumfest has prepared for Dancehall and Reggae music fans from abroad. Several accommodations packages are available to choose from resorts in Montego Bay and Ocho Rios which features reasonable room rates with discounts on extra night.

First staged in 1993, Reggae Sumfest quickly became the world’s premiere Reggae music event.  The festival showcases the best of Dancehall and Reggae music, as well as top R & B/Hip Hop performers and offers delicious Jamaican cuisine, and tours within the island.  Each year, the event which is billed as the Greatest Reggae Show on Earth attracts more than 30,000 patrons to the tourist capital of Montego Bay.