Beres Hammond headlines ‘Reggae Meets Soul’ Mother’s Day celebration

The Jamaican-born King of Lovers Rock Beres Hammond will headline the “Reggae Meets Soul” Mother’s Day celebration at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on Saturday, May 9.

The UBS Arena, located at 2400 Hempstead Turnpike, on the grounds of Belmont Park, sits on the border of Queens and Nassau County, making it easily accessible from New York City and Long Island.

Anthony “ER Guru” Turner, the Jamaican-born, New York-based entertainment publicist, told Caribbean Life on Monday, Feb. 23, that Hammond, who, for the past two decades, has embraced New York “like family,” will “return the love when he headlines the Mother’s Day Experience on Mother’s Day weekend 2026.”

Jammins Events CEO George Crooks, promoter of the UBS Arena event, said, “The lineup raises the emotional stakes with the addition of Romain Virgo, legendary soul songstress Stephanie Mills, and Lady Da Flame, who will join Hammond on stage.”

Crooks said that Hammond has been a “one-man wrecking army, delivering sold-out performances at festivals, theatres and major arenas that fans say feel like reunions.

“His catalog is filled with timeless love songs, heartbreak anthems, and uplifting reggae classics that every reggae lover knows the words,” he said.
Jamaican-born, Brooklyn resident Marie Johnson, who attended Hammond’s UBS concert last year with Sean Paul and Shaggy, said, “Beres doesn’t just sing to you, he sings with you.”

She said the addition of Romain Virgo will complement Hammond’s set, which features his growing catalog of contemporary love songs.

“Romain is a perfect bridge between generations,” Crooks said. “He is the future of reggae. So, having both on the same stage is having the best of both worlds.”
About singer Stephanie Mills, he said she’s “a living legend whose voice helped define soul music for decades.

“Her presence adds a classic R&B elegance that broadens the night beyond reggae alone,” Crooks said. “She is pure class.”
Turner said the Mother’s Day Experience 2026 promises to be “a night where reggae, soul, and love connect on the same stage.”