JAMBANA™ One World Festival is Canada’s premier ‘Fun For The Family’ festival celebrating the sights, sounds & tastes of our nation’s diversity. Our festival ignites passion and inspires creativity as the festival represents Canada’s African and Caribbean Communities through performances by internationally acclaimed bands, artists and JUNO Award winners. Feel the rhythms, move to the beat and enjoy delicious food. MUSIC – FOOD – ARTS – CRAFTS & MORE. One Love.
JAMBANA™ One World Festival, has grown out of years of world class concerts, theatrical productions and festivals, produced by Jones & Jones Productions Ltd, founded by Denise Jones & Allan Bucka Jones in 1987. The first was the all night Reggae On Yah in 1987 at The Great Hall on Queen Street West, downtown Toronto. All night reggae music from 10pm to 6am, featured the best in Canadian Reggae. The Jam ended with Blue Mountain Coffee and Ackee and Salt Fish.
Reggaebana began in 1993, primarily to infuse reggae music into the predominantly soca and calypso flavoured Caribana Festival. The first Reggaebana featured headliners, included the late great Joseph Hill and Culture, Leroy Sibblies and Willie Williams. The seven day festival started at the legendary El Mocambo, moved to the Opera House and Ontario Place over the years, and featured some of the finest names in Reggae music from Canada and around the globe. Reggaebana artists on the annual summer concert series include Shaggy – his first Canadian performance, Half Pint, Majek Fashek, Freddie McGregor, Leroy Gibbon, Alton Ellis, Beenie Man, Luciano, Bounty Killer, Tiger, Big Youth, Dean Fraser and Firehouse Crew, Mikey General, JUNO Award winners Carla Marshall and Nana McLean and a host of others.
In 2005, Jones & Jones was invited to produce and promote Air Jamaica Day that had begun in 2004. The event took place in a Toronto parking lot, at the corner of Eglinton and Oakwood in 2005 – attendance 1,000, moved to Gage Park in Brampton on August 7, 2006, attendance 10,000 and in 2007, relocated to the Powerade Centre, also in Brampton. Attendance 20,000.
Air Jamaica Day was among the biggest events over the Caribana weekend, pulling one of the largest crowds outside of the parade. JAMBANA™ was born. The first JAMBANA™, presented by Air Jamaica and produced by Jones & Jones Productions, was held at Downsview Park on August 3, 2009. Over 45,000 individuals attended.
Today, JAMBANA™ One World Festival has evolved tremendously as it represents Canada’s growing cultural diversity in its finest form, representing Canada’s Multicultural Communities through performances by internationally acclaimed bands, artists and JUNO Award winners. Feel rhythms and experience the sights, sounds, taste and global diversity.
“We have been blessed with growth and development over the years. We are thankful for the phenomenal support of our Canadian friends and family and an increasing number of friends from across the US and around the world. The Jones & Jones team is delighted to produce this event that is truly fun for the whole family”, said the late Denise Jones (Festival Co-founder).
