When Carlton Davy and his team launched the Sandz Caribbean Music Festival in 2014, they didn’t know they were creating one of the most successful Caribbean party brands in the world. But from day one, the signs were clear.
“We printed at least 400-500 tickets for that first event at the Beach House,” Davy recalls. “But the demand was overwhelming—so much so that we had to go back to the vendor and pay more money. Social media lit up because, for the first time, nine different people from different teams all activated their niches online. It went viral.”
Davy credits the Sandz team’s early embrace of social media-first marketing for the festival’s success. At a time when many Jamaican promoters still relied on radio and TV, Sandz ditched traditional media. Instead, they built a powerful, grassroots digital campaign driven by ambassadors, WhatsApp flyers, and coordinated Instagram pushes.
“We’ve never done a TV ad. What we do is tap into micro-influencers—maybe not famous, but impactful in their own circles,” he explains. “We give them tickets, have them post, and it becomes a chain reaction. That’s the Sandz formula.”
Today, Sandz doesn’t stage an event for fewer than 5,000 people. “That’s the base,” says Davy. “No matter the city—New York, Toronto, Miami—we’ve grown to expect crowds of that size. Anything less would feel like a failure.”
The impact of Sandz stretches beyond music. It drives a mini-economy in every city it touches. From vendors selling jerk chicken and accessories to stylists, makeup artists, fashion stores, and production crews—Davy says the ripple effect is massive. “In Jamaica, fashion sales peak during Sandz season. It’s the highest for any event outside of Sumfest.”
He also notes that diaspora audiences often travel across borders to attend. “There’s a guy in Toronto who flies to every single Sandz. People follow us like they’d follow Beyoncé on tour. It’s a lifestyle.”
While the brand has explored partnerships with airlines for travel discounts, Davy says it’s still a work in progress. “We are looking to Delta and JetBlue, but nothing solid yet. Still, it’s on the horizon.”
As Sandz surpasses its 10-year milestone, Davy hints at even more expansion. “This is our sixth world tour, and we’ve been consistent since 2016. We’ll continue zone by zone—New York, Miami, UK, Canada. One market at a time, but always keeping the Caribbean identity front and center.”
