After two rounds of schedule delays, one of reggae music’s most enduring cultural festivals, Rebel Salute, is finally set to hold its first ever South Florida edition on April 19 at Miramar Regional Park in Miramar. The landmark debut event will feature a star-studded lineup topped by legendary reggae acts Maxi Priest, Mykal Rose, and the festival’s own founder Tony Rebel.
The festival’s Florida outpost was originally slated for April 25, 2025, before being pushed back to September of the same year. When unpredictable inclement weather threatened to disrupt the experience, organizers opted to reschedule once more, shifting the event to April 2026. Rather than framing the multiple delays as a setback, founder Tony Rebel emphasized that the changes are rooted in the festival’s decades-long commitment to quality. In a September 2025 interview with the *Jamaica Observer*, he emphasized, “This is not a cancellation, it’s a commitment to our fans, our artistes, and our legacy. Rebel Salute has never compromised on quality or care, and this decision reflects the same spirit that has guided us over three decades.”
The choice of Miramar as the host city for the festival’s first South Florida production is no coincidence. The city boasts one of the largest concentrated Jamaican communities in the region, alongside established populations of other West Indian immigrants and a large Spanish-speaking resident base, creating a naturally receptive audience for roots reggae culture. Miramar Regional Park, the chosen venue, already has a strong track record hosting major cultural events: it is the annual home of the Grace Jamaica Jerk Festival, which draws thousands of attendees from across the state each year.
Eddy Edwards, lead promoter of the Grace Jamaica Jerk Festival and current vice mayor of Miramar, welcomed Rebel Salute’s arrival to the city. “To have one of the most famous roots-reggae festivals in our city is a delight. This will attract visitors to Miramar and deliver a positive economic impact,” Edwards told *Observer Online*. He added that Miramar’s identity as a diverse, growing urban center aligns perfectly with the festival’s cultural mission: “Miramar is a vibrant, growing city that fully supports the performing arts. We have a diverse community and are open to celebrate the unique cultures of our residents.”
Rebel Salute carries a 32-year legacy rooted in Jamaican reggae culture. The very first edition launched on January 15, 1994, to mark Tony Rebel’s birthday, hosted at the Fayors Entertainment Complex in the founder’s home parish of Manchester, with iconic reggae artist Garnet Silk headlining the inaugural bill. Over the decades, the festival has shifted between several Jamaican venues: after outgrowing its original Manchester home, it moved to the Port Kaiser Sports Club in St Elizabeth, before settling into its current long-term Jamaican home at Plantation Cove in Priory, St Ann.
Notably, the annual Jamaican edition of Rebel Salute was canceled this year, with organizers citing widespread damage and disruption caused by Hurricane Melissa, which struck the island in October 2025, as the reason for scrapping the 2026 home event. This makes the upcoming South Florida debut a rare chance for reggae fans around the world to experience the beloved festival this year.