Jamaica Announces Public Viewing, Motorcade and Funeral for Sly Dunbar March 6-7

The Government of Jamaica has set a two-day official farewell for Lowell “Sly” Dunbar, with public events on March 6 and a funeral service on March 7 announced by The Honourable Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport. The ministry’s press release dated Kingston, 3 March 2026, lays out a motorcade, a public viewing and a funeral service across the weekend for the reggae musician whom Minister Grange described as “one of the best drummers the world has ever seen.”

The ministry detailed the motorcade itinerary in full: “There will also be a motorcade of Sly’s remains on Friday morning starting at 9:15am at Channel One studio at Maxfield Avenue with scheduled stops at One Pop Music Studio at Red Hills Road, Mixing Lab Studio at Dumbarton Avenue, and at Anchor Studio at Windsor Avenue.” The release links the planned procession to the opportunity for members of the public to pay their respects at those studios and along the route.

For those wishing to view Dunbar’s remains, the release states: “There will be a public viewing of the musician’s remains on Friday, March 6, 2026 at the National Indoor Sports Centre between 11:00am and 4:00pm.” The National Indoor Sports Centre will therefore open for a four-hour public viewing window on Friday, March 6, as part of the government’s announced farewell programme.

The funeral service is scheduled for Saturday, March 7, 2026: “A funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2026 at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity at George Headley Drive in Kingston, beginning at 9:30am.” The ministry’s text identifies the Cathedral on George Headley Drive as the venue and gives a 9:30am start time for the service.

The press release identifies the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and Central Government as organisers and was issued from Kingston with contact/address lines including Kingston 5, Jamaica, W.I.; the document footer ends with the word “END.” A separate media briefing used the phrase “state funeral” in its headline, but the official gov.jm release describes the events as a public viewing, motorcade and “a funeral service” without using the formal phrase “state funeral.”

The government release does not specify burial or interment plans, whether the Cathedral service is by invitation or open to all, nor does it list broadcast arrangements, clergy officiants, family statements, or detailed traffic and security measures for the motorcade route. The ministry’s announcement provides the core schedule and venues for March 6–7 while those operational and ceremonial details remain unlisted in the March 3 release.