Miami Gardens is throwing a free block party for Jamaica’s Independence Day this Sunday, and it comes stacked with sound systems and a headlining comedian. Vice Mayor Robert Stephens III is hosting the “Sounds of Jamaica: Celebration of Jamaica Independence — Coolers & Cars Edition” on Sunday, August 9, from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Betty T. Ferguson Recreational Complex, with comedian Majah Hype hosting and five DJ crews taking the stage.
According to a post from the City of Miami Gardens, admission is free, and attendees are encouraged to bring their own coolers along with family, and to dress in green, gold, or black. The lineup includes Code Red Sound, King Wage, Richie D, Supa-Sound, and Juxxy Fiyah, all performing at the complex at 3000 NW 199th Street.
A Vote Nine Days After the Party Ends
The celebration lands just nine days before Miami Gardens voters head to the polls on August 18 for the city council election, in which Stephens is seeking re-election, according to Hy-Lo News. That timing puts the Vice Mayor’s high-profile community event squarely in the run-up to municipal voting.
Stephens was first appointed to the Miami Gardens City Council’s At-Large Seat 6 in September 2020 before winning a full four-year term in August 2022, per the Black Professionals Summit. He holds a public administration degree from Florida International University, co-founded the Change Makers Academy youth program, and serves as senior pastor of The Grace Center, a ministry he founded in 2018…