Record-breaking Jamaica Festival celebrates 50 years

By Anthony Collins

LPR Editor                                           

Past Queens gathered to honor the 50th anniversary celebration.    

St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church celebrated 50 years of faith, music and community over the weekend with the largest Jamaica Festival in the event’s history. More than 1,000 people attended each night of the two-day celebration, filling the festival grounds with music, food, dancing and family activities. “This was the largest Jamaica Festival ever,” Festival Chairman Hector Rangel said.

      The golden anniversary celebration brought together longtime parishioners, former festival queens, local families and visitors from across Central Texas. The free event featured      live music, food booths, games, raffles, a silent auction and activities for children. Saturday night’s entertainment included Grammy Award-winning Tejano singer Jay Perez, who performed for a large and enthusiastic crowd. His appearance added another memorable moment to a weekend already filled with milestone celebrations.

    The festival also crowned its 2026 Jamaica royalty. Mariah Rae Hinojosa was named the 2026 Jamaica Queen, Aylin Torres was crowned princess, and Trinity Bailon was named Little Miss Jamaica. The three candidates spent the months leading up to the festival representing St. Mary’s, participating in fundraisers and helping support the church’s largest annual fundraising event.

     The 50th anniversary also gave organizers an opportunity to recognize the generations of volunteers, parish members and former royalty who have helped build the festival into one of Lockhart’s most anticipated summer traditions. Rangel said chairing the milestone festival was a special honor. “It’s a big honor to chair the 50th anniversary festival,” Rangel said. “This festival brings in people, not only from Central Texas, but from all over, to celebrate with great food and music, and it’s free to enter.”

   While the entertainment and festivities attracted record crowds, the Jamaica Festival continues to serve an important purpose. Money raised during the weekend helps support St. Mary’s and fund needed repairs and improvements to church facilities. “It’s a lot of hard work, and it’s about giving back to the church and the community,” Marie Rangel said. “Our church needs major work, so this is our largest and really our only fundraiser of the year.”

    With record attendance, Grammy-winning entertainment and the crowning of a new queen’s court, the 2026 Jamaica Festival gave St. Mary’s a fitting celebration for its 50th anniversary. The weekend honored the festival’s history while showing that the tradition remains strong and continues to grow with each new generation.