The coolers were out, the cups were up and the music was intoxicating as the Easter Monday welcomed official return of the country’s premier cooler festival I Love Soca.

This year’s staging which was held at the Kingston waterfront was nothing short of amazing as the I Love Soca team transformed the downtown waterfront into an urban fete of revelry and excitement.

The actual staging of the event faced several questions surrounding the choice of venue, logistics, time and surrounding amenities.

Questions which would have been answered last night as the patrons turned out in droves to satisfy their hunger for authentic Soca raves which has been at a minimal since the pandemic forced a pause on events.

Fans were treated to a plethora of musical juggling styles from some of Jamaica’s top tier Soca connoisseurs, to a host of international experts such as DJ Lantern and the notorious Travis World.

The scores of patrons were on a constant high as they were fed a musical diet of vibes and high energy, as they ‘palanced,’ revelled and ‘mashed up’ di place to their favourite classics along with some of the latest drops from Trinidad and other Caribbean islands.

The masses were also treated to performances by Sekonsta along with a surprise appearance by Ding Dong, who had the predominately Soca crowd for that moment converted to certified Ravers.

It was sheer ‘happiness’ as he ‘snapped’ into an engaging performance. Patrons were ‘flairy’, and enjoyed their ‘stir fry’ to cap off a delectable course from the I love Soca menu.

Even after the event’s announced end, patrons clamored for a continuation of the cooler fete which summed up the execution of the event and apparent satisfaction of the party.

Given its euphoria around its first staging of the year and its successful execution, this sets precedence for its May 1 Miami edition, and its planned independence weekend staging as part of the best weekend ever summer series.