The island’s young singers and musicians will, tomorrow, start a two-day Jazz & Arts Festival when the second event of its kind takes place at Serenity Park.
The inaugural youth-oriented festival was held last year at Serenity Park, Sans Soucis in Castries, with the 1st National Bank and Sandals Resorts International (SRI) among the first year sponsors, but this year the list has lengthened – and the performances have doubled, as are the number of days.
This year’s Serenity Jazz and Arts Festival is also being supported by the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, Events Saint Lucia and other local stakeholders.
The inaugural 2023 festival provided a platform for those ready and willing to show and stage their hidden or unknown talents at Serenity Park and the effect has seen a greater level of interest and participation for 2024.
Local artistes have been welcoming the opportunities this year to perform alongside international artistes from near and far and the Serenity Park event, broadcast live to the world, also offers a global platform for tomorrow’s young up-and-coming jazz stars.
This year, sponsors include: 1st National Bank (again the premiere Title Sponsor), followed by: Sandals Resorts International (SRI) and C-Tune as Silver sponsors, LUCELEC and Massy as Bronze sponsors, with FLOW, WAVE, Blue Waters, Subway and DOVE Productions also providing support.
The line-up Thursday and Friday (May 9 and 10) will include 10 performing artistes, two youth bands and four steel bands – plus eight school bands from Anse La Raye, Castries, Vieux Fort, Micoud, Corinth and Soufriere, St. Mary’s College, St. Joseph’s Convent, Leon Hess Secondary, Stanley Jon Odlum Memorial Secondary School Band, Boys Training Center and Pantime.
Support is also provided by the Ministry of Youth Development & Sports, Department of Housing and Local Government, Cultural Development Foundation and the Castries Constituencies Council.
The two-day event runs from 3pm each day.