When George Mulindwa started Lovers ReggaeFest, his ambition was to bring people together through music and create an occasion where couples could celebrate love away from the demands of everyday life.
Four years later, the gathering has grown into an annual Valentine’s tradition, bringing together Ugandans, other East Africans and an expanding Caribbean audience for an evening of live reggae, dinner and dancing.
The fifth edition, scheduled for February 13, 2027, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Woburn, Massachusetts, will build on that growth with an international line-up of performers, returning radio personalities and prizes for the best-dressed guests.
For Mulindwa, the festival’s evolution represents more than the success of a music event. It is about creating a space where people from different backgrounds can connect through love, music and shared experiences.
The idea is rooted in lovers rock, the romantic side of reggae whose songs explore affection, devotion, longing and forgiveness.
In the cold of New England, the festival offers an opportunity for couples to dress up, share dinner and dance, while friends reunite for an evening that has become a fixture on their calendars.
What began in a modest hall, attracting mainly Ugandans and fellow East Africans, has developed into a hotel celebration with a growing Caribbean following.
The audience’s continued return has helped establish the event as a gathering people anticipate, with guests bringing friends and introducing new audiences to the experience.
Building a tradition
Mulindwa’s relationship with reggae began in Uganda, where he developed his career as an artist and worked at Radio Simba.
He carried that passion into the diaspora, drawing on the music’s ability to connect people across cultures and geographical boundaries.
A key part of the festival’s identity is the Conscious Reggae Band, whose members hail from Jamaica and neighbouring Caribbean islands.
The band has performed with Mulindwa for more than a decade and is expected to return for the fifth edition, maintaining a partnership that has helped give the event its musical character.
Their live performances allow guests to sing along, listen to familiar rhythms and dance, creating an atmosphere that extends beyond a conventional dinner event.
The festival has also developed an economic dimension. Mulindwa recalls a hotel manager observing that rooms become booked and the bar fills up on the night of the event, illustrating its growing contribution to activity at the venue.
However, he credits the festival’s progress primarily to the people who have supported it over the years.
Among those he recognises are Maureen Asiimwe of the Uganda Boston Community Association, Damali Nanfuka of Spirit of Uganda, Geofrey Kaweesa, Nsereko Simple and Geofrey Kawesa of Radio Uganda Boston, alongside fellow artists and other supporters.
The fifth edition’s theme, “Gratitude”, reflects the relationships and community support that have sustained the event through its first four years.
What to expect
The forthcoming celebration will feature Madagascar’s Reu-Niza, alongside Safia Leslie, Karitas Kario, Angela Kalule, Amanda Nas, Grace Sekamate and Bruno Semax.
Ugandan radio personalities Ruth Wanyana and Patriko Mujuuka will also return as masters of ceremonies, having entertained guests at the previous edition.
Last year’s festival featured Ugandan musician Mesach Semakula, adding to the event’s profile as a platform for established performers and an occasion for the diaspora community to celebrate through music.
The fifth edition will maintain the festival’s emphasis on elegance, with guests encouraged to dress for the occasion.
The best-dressed man and woman will each receive $500, while the winning couple will be awarded a night in a hotel suite.
Tickets cost $150, covering dinner and entertainment.
The combination of live music, dinner, dancing and fashion prizes is intended to give guests more than a concert experience, turning the evening into a celebration of relationships and community.
For Mulindwa, the most meaningful measure of success is the number of people who return.
Each edition brings together couples creating new memories, friends reconnecting and newcomers discovering the event.
As Lovers ReggaeFest approaches its fifth edition, its growth illustrates how a musical gathering can become an enduring tradition when people find meaning in the experience.
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