Emancipation Park will swap the evening bustle for gospel voices on Friday, October 16, when Praise in the Park returns with free admission and a line-up led by some of Jamaica’s established and emerging performers.
The fourth staging brings Rhoda Isabella, Jai Kingston and newly crowned 2026 Jamaica Gospel Star winner Chantal Smalling Stephenson together for the Credit Union Week celebration.
A September 30 Gleaner event preview also names Sebastian Braham, Nickette Morgan-Williams and Raheem Wellington among the performers. The mix gives patrons both recognised gospel names and newer voices in one programme, without an admission charge.
The evening’s timetable is straightforward: the pre-show starts at 5:30 p.m., followed by the main concert from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., according to the Jamaica Observer’s October 11 report.
Nadine Blair and Markland Edwards will share hosting duties, while DJ Chinny supplies the music between the live performances.
The gathering is intended to bring credit union members and the wider community together, Katrina Grant, group marketing and communication manager at the Jamaica Co-operative Credit Union League, told the Observer.
“Patrons can expect a great evening of gospel music, praise, celebration and togetherness,” she said.
Grant explained that the celebration previously took the form of a cinema buy-out. Moving it to Emancipation Park opened the event to a larger community audience, with the first Praise in the Park held in October 2023.
That history gives this year’s concert a clear purpose: entertainment, thanksgiving and a public gathering around the credit union movement.
The organisers also plan a livestream to reach members and communities outside Kingston. CUNA Caribbean Insurance returns as title sponsor, continuing its support across all four stagings.
For gospel listeners arranging their Friday evening, the essential details are already in place: Emancipation Park, October 16, an early pre-show and four hours of scheduled main-stage performances.
The concert is being presented as family-friendly, with its open admission offering an accessible way to take part in the Credit Union Week finale.
Sources: Jamaica Observer, October 11, 2026; The Gleaner event preview, September 30, 2026.
