Mona Bell, founder of Las Vegas Dancehall Weekend — formerly known as Las Vegas Brunch Weekend — joined World Music Views for an exclusive interview to discuss the city’s shifting entertainment landscape, the event’s rebrand, and the growing potential for dancehall in Las Vegas.
Despite scorching summer heat, Bell says hotel occupancies in Las Vegas have dipped this year, with local businesses pointing to high parking and resort fees as deterrents for tourists. “They’re going to have to either waive some of those or suffer the losses,” she said. “But that’s good news for Dancehall Weekend.”
The Vegas Opportunity for Dancehall
While Las Vegas continues to welcome big-name acts — including the Backstreet Boys at The Sphere — Bell sees room for dancehall to thrive.
“Dancehall is selling out arenas, theatres, and stadiums globally,” she explained. “Buju [Banton] came here and filled the theatre to capacity. Vybz Kartel could absolutely sell out an arena in Vegas — the T-Mobile Arena holds roughly 20,000. With the right marketing and promotion, he would have a bigger draw than Buju here.”
Bell believes the market is “somewhat untouched” but ripe for investment. “Dancehall is a global brand with impact and influence everywhere, and there’s a growing Caribbean community in Vegas,” she said.
From Brunch to a Full-Fledged Dancehall Celebration
What began in 2021 as a single brunch event has grown into a multi-day festival now entering its fourth year. “Brunch inspired it from the beginning, but dancehall is bigger than brunch,” Bell explained. “It’s time to break ground here and do it the right way.”
This year’s Las Vegas Dancehall Weekend runs from September 12–14, 2025 and features a new highlight — the city’s first-ever sound clash.
Weekend Highlights:
•Night One (Sept. 12): All Black Theme with “Zone Clash” — three sounds competing for the crown.
•Night Two (Sept. 13): All White Day Party & Brunch headlined by Ikel Marvellous, with food-inclusive service, champagne, and an authentic Caribbean vibe.
•Day Three (Sept. 14): Pool party followed by Dolly Sundays, marking the tour’s final stop in Las Vegas with TC, Rebel, and Pretti.
Most events will be held at the newly renovated Villa Medusa, an upscale Latin-Caribbean venue just minutes from the Las Vegas Strip.
Strategic Partnerships
Bell has renewed her partnership with The Lexi Hotel and brought on Oplif Graba, a streetwear brand tied to high-profile dancehall artists like Chronic Law. She’s also collaborating with Villa Medusa’s owners, who specialize in nightlife curation and outreach to Latin and Caribbean audiences.
Selectors & DJs
The 2025 lineup includes Team Shella, Ikel Marvellous, Flabba Dabba, Shukkle Bus, Di Unit (featuring Badda Bling), DJ Boss (LA), Bandzzzc (Las Vegas).
Dancehall’s Mainstream Resurgence
Bell is proud of dancehall’s global momentum. “We’re setting out arenas, our names are in the lights, we’re mainstream,” she said. “We should be proud of how far we’ve come and focus on the positive impact instead of just rivalries. Dancehall deserves to be on top — and we’re there.”
