Ghetto Splash staging ‘looks dim’
Patrick Roberts makes appeal for annual event held third Tuesday in December
Published:Monday | December 8, 2025 | 12:09 AMYasmine Peru/Senior Gleaner Writer
Patrick Roberts, convener of the annual free concert, Ghetto Splash, says that this year’s staging looks iffy, but he is not giving up hope. The event, which is now 36 years old, has been held at the Waterhouse Mini Stadium in Drewsland for the past 10 years.
“Ghetto Splash is an important festive event that the people in the various communities look forward to each year ... and the artistes always come through and give their full support, free of cost,” Roberts explained. “Last year when we had challenges Prime Minister Holness stepped in at the last minute and saved it. Who knows what can happen this year?”
Roberts shared that prior to the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Melissa on October 28, he had a “fruitful meeting” with a potential sponsor who was eager to come onboard. However, he has not had any conversation with them since.
“The told us that they were fully on board, because Ghetto Splash is an event that aligned perfectly with their brand. They promised that they would get back to us to let us know what level of sponsorship they could offer. I have called them but no response ... and they haven’t returned my calls,” a dejected Roberts said.
He also outlined that earlier this year he had received a commitment from the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, but noted that he knew that the focus has shifted.
“The ministry is now focused on hurricane relief and recovery and I completely understand that. When you look at the nature of what unfolded with the storm and the response from the entertainment sector, you just have to commend them. The ministry and the artistes are doing a yeoman service by putting their resources into making people’s lives better,”Roberts said.
Nonetheless, his greatest wish is that Ghetto Splash will have its 2025 staging at the Waterhouse Mini Stadium on December 16, bringing Christmas joy to fans, with artistes such as Beenie Man, Aidonia, Skeng, Jahshii, and Skippa already confirmed. But he admitted, rather reluctantly, that “its looking dimmer and dimmer” but he’s holding off making the “painful decision” to cancel, Ghetto Splash this year.
“If a sponsor has a million dollars to spend and has two things in front of them - Melissa relief and a concert - most likely they are going to choose Melissa. That’s just the reality of the situation right now,” he reasoned.
“In the past, when we had a shortfall we could rely on Shaggy to come through both financially and in person by performing for us, but it would be too much to burden the artistes this year. Shaggy ... and the other entertainers ... they are already doing their best and again I have to give a big shout-out to the fraternity for stepping up like this,” the Grammy Award-winning producer said.
Noting that Christmas has always been the season for “party, concert and dance in abundance” Roberts emphasised the importance of keeping live events alive at this time.
“Minister Grange and Lenny Salmon from JCDC [Jamaica Cultural Development Commission ]said it and I am saying it too ... ‘Reggae music is healing music and we need to keep the music playing.’ The minister said that we should not allow Hurricane Melissa to rain on our Christmas parade and I fully endorse those sentiments. So, we need to do all we can to have a very merry Christmas in 2025,” Roberts said.
He noted that even with Ghetto Splash being one week away, it could happen if the sponsorship can be secured.
“The template is already there ... it’s just the resources for the production part that is lacking. If, at the last minute, the sponsors can come forward then things can quickly and efficiently be put in place,” he assured.
Ghetto Splash, which is traditionally held on the third Tuesday in December, was started in 1989 by Roberts, with the goal of bringing A-list entertainers to perform live in the innercity. For years, the event was held in Craig Town, the community that Roberts calls home, until it outgrew that space and went to National Heroes Park in 1996, where it attracted 50,000 fans. Plagued with lack of sponsorship, a hiatus followed, after which Roberts revived Ghetto Splash in 2013 and has been staging it continuously since.