Why Sunday’s ‘Reggae on the Lawn’ is about more than music

PERFECT SCENE: The Grade I-listed Forty Hall estate will host its first live reggae event on Sunday (August 20) Dennis Brown Jr; Luciano and Dennis Bovell’s appearances at Forty Hall this weekend will benefit charities via unique event structure; says spokesperson Omar Lawrence, who offers a behind-the-scenes insight

REGGAE AND lovers rock are part of the rich kaleidoscope of music that you will be able to hear during Reggae on the Lawn this Sunday, August 20 at the Grade I-listed Forty Hall estate in Enfield; which will benefit several local charities as well as music aficionados.

The musical extravaganza will see reggae greats take to the stage from 12-6pm on Sunday. The event will also celebrate some of the best the UK music scene has to offer. Headlining the activities on the day will be Grammy-nominated Luciano, son of the late legend Dennis ‘Crown Prince’ Brown, Dennis Brown Jr. and pioneer of the UK’s sub-genre, Dennis Bovell.

The event is being delivered by MIHO (Make It Happen Organisation) in partnership with the Friends of Forty Hall Park and sponsors MKM Elevators. Reggae on the Lawn will also be a platform to raise funds and awareness for local stakeholders such as The National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society, O’Bay Trust and the Edmonton Rotary Club.

Spokesperson Omar Lawrence speaks with The Voice about what it takes to put on an event of Reggae on the Lawn’s calibre:

Q: The line-up is amazing – how have fans responded to the news that all those stars will be at Forty Hall?

A: It’s been a tremendous response locally. People are just amazed that that calibre of artist is coming to that part of Enfield. Reggae lovers are completely blown away that there’s gonna be Reggae on the Lawn at Forty Hall. It’s a really beautiful, unique venue and to have this genre of music there – that has never been done before and thats what makes this event so special. So the response has been amazing.

When the weather is nice Forty Hall Estate is so beautiful It’s an unique historical venue and one aim of ours was to introduce a new audience to the venue that don’t know that it’s a great place to go for the whole family. The House and especially the gardens are immaculate and looked after by our partners in Reggae on The Lawn, Friends of Forty Hall Park. The group are very active in everything to do with developing and maintaining the gardens, this is a partnership will help to raise funds for the grounds, so it’s very important for them to do something like this to raise awareness and finance.

Q: What part do you play in Reggae on the Lawn?

A: This is a new event, I’ve delivered many other projects, including Black History Month outdoor and indoor film screenings and local festivals. This will be the first time an event of this kind will take place at Forty Hall and I’m proud to have been a part of organising everything from start to finish.

Q: What are the best and worst things about being a promotor?

A: The best thing is seeing an idea develop from a concept then actually delivering it. There’s also seeing the people out there enjoying themselves and knowing you had a part in that and creating something unique and new that people are really going to enjoy. You can go to Forty Hall all year round with your family, walk around the lake, take a picnic but now you can enjoy the sound of reggae there too.

Some of the worst things about being a promotor is that it can be hard to try and raise funds for a community-focused event such as this. We do have a great local corporate sponsor however, MKM Elevators, who are supporting us and sponsoring our competition to win flights to the Caribbean. Without help from companies like this the event would not be possible.

Events are sometimes are very fluid – they move and change shape – sometimes it’s like a moving jigsaw puzzle and you have to keep everything in line as things do change. There are so many moving parts and different people involved – anything can happen at any time and you have to be flexible enough to cope with that.

Q: What are you most looking forward to about Reggae on the Lawn?

Seeing people out there enjoying themselves and loving the music and enjoying the venue. This is an event to bring all the local community together and to introduce a new audience to the venue. One of the most important elements is to raise awareness and finance for the stakeholders, which include The Friends of Forty Hall Park, the O’Bay Community Trust and NASS (the National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society) which is close to my heart because I have family that suffer from the illness. The overall aim is to ensure that somehow, everyone involved in the event wins, from the attendees, to the Friends of Forty Hall, our charities, stakeholders and of course the local community.

Reggae on the Lawn 2017 takes place this Sunday August 20, 2017 from 12-6pm at Forty Hall Park, Enfield EN2 9HA.

Early bird tickets: Adult £25/VIP £50; Young Person (11-17) £10; Family (two adults, two young people) £60; Under-11s go free! Tickets are available from: www.fortyhallestate.co.uk.
Those buying tickets will also be entered into a raffle to win flights to the Caribbean.