NE-YO leads star-studded World Creole Music Festival 2026 lineup in Dominica

Dominica: As the Dominica’s World Creole Music Festival is set to return to Windsor Park Sports Stadium from October 23 to October 25, 202, the limelight is on Grammy winning American R&B singer NE-YO who is set to perform at WCMF 2026.

The 2026 programme will see the showcase of genres such as R&B, soca, dancehall, reggae, bouyon, cadence-lypso, kompa, soukous and amapiano.

The festival will also host popular Haitian acts Klass and Tabou Combo, Guadeloupe’s Les Aiglons, Jean-Marc Ferdinand and Edday, Martinique’s Maurane Voyer and Diblo Dibala from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Trinidad and Tobago’s soca star Machel Montano, British reggae vocalist Maxi Priest, Jamaican dancehall singers Alkaline and Skillibeng, South African amapiano sensation Uncle Waffles, Jamaican reggae legend Capleton and Haitian American singer Fridayy have also been added to the line-up.

Full Blown from Trinidad and Tobago, V’ghn from Grenada and DYP Band comprising Shemmy J, Tall Boy, Sedale, Hollywood HP, Nerdy, Andrew Biscuit and Ezra D’Funmachine from St Lucia are also among the many international artists set to perform at the 2026 edition of the festival.

Moreover, local talent will also take centre stage. Other Dominican acts for the 2026 edition of the WCMF will include Midnight Groovers, TK International, Asa Bantan, Signal Band, Extasy Band, Colton T, Mr. Ridge, Pudaz, Reo, Nice, Gwada G and Shaxx.

Discover Dominica Authority Chief Executive Officer Marva Williams noted that since its inception almost 30 years ago, the WCMF has continued to feature the best of the Dominican roots while also reaching out to an international audience.

For nearly three decades, the World Creole Music Festival has provided a distinctly Dominican platform where our music meets the sounds of the Caribbean and the world, Williams said.

The WCMF is one of Dominica’s key tourism attractions and draws a significant number of visitors to the island nation during the Independence season. The 2025 edition of the festival attracted over 42,000 persons to the Windsor Park Sports Stadium, record crowds over 42,000 patrons across the three nights

Dominica registered 10,540 visitors for the nine-day national celebration around the time of the WCMF. This represents a 48 percent increase over the same period in 2024 and a 61 percent rise over 2023.

In addition to the WCMF, visitors are also being encouraged to take advantage of the other events that make up the Independence Season as well as the many adventure, wellness, culinary and nature activities that the island has to offer. Visitors are advised to book their accommodation as early as possible as hotels, guesthouses, apartments and villas are available throughout the island.

The authorities note that the best way to access information on the WCMF and book tickets is through DominicaFestivals.com while those interested in learning more about the island can visit DiscoverDominica.com.