This year’s Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival moves into high gear, this weekend, with some major activities planned at the iconic Pigeon Island National Park.
Legendary pop icons Air Supply will bring the curtains down tomorrow on this year’s ultimate celebration of Jazz and Arts, which had fringe events all over the Island.
Other performers on the final night include Baby Face, Michele Henderson, Augustin “Jab” Duplessis, and Carl Gustave.
However tonight the World Beats segment will take center stage and features internationally acclaimed African artistes Davido and JoeBoy. Also appearing tonight on the main stage will be VAYB Band, Chloe Bailey – a young Afro- American sensation, local crew DYP, Jon Secada, and Arthur Allain.
This year’s Jazz and Arts festival has been phenomenal, entertaining Saint Lucians of all ages, gender and social standing. Organisers and stakeholders urged local entrepreneurs to participate and ‘cash-in’ on some of the economic prospects available throughout the festival.
Last night was dubbed Caribbean Fusion night which featured the likes of Machel Montana, Beres Hammond, Meshack, Ezra D’Fun and the Invasion Band.
From the opening night, on April 30 right through this weekend, the melodious sounds of music have filled the air.
Other main attractions at the festival included A Woman’s Songbook (Jazz Edition), Voices of the Underground, An evening of Performance Poetry, ‘Genesis’- Silver Shadow Dance Premiere and a showing of Shantaye’s World (Film) Screening.
Llewllyn Xavier Art Exhibition at the Orange Grove Plaza is this year’s “Icon Showpiece”, his works transcend boundaries and champions the cause of environmental preservation.
The country’s capital, Castries also came alive with exciting and vivid exhibition of Art and Music at the Derek Walcott Square, Serenity Park and La Place Carenage.
Other Community Jazz Events ( fringe events) were Hills & Valleys Inspirational Jazz (Bexon Playing Field), Desruisseaux Jazz “Jaz La Se Nous” (Desruisseaux Playing Field), Fond D’Or Jazz (Fond D’Or Park), Soufriere Jazz: The Experience (Soufriere Mini Stadium), and Monchy Jazz: Mizik en Kweyol (Monchy Playing Field).
The organisers are encouraging patrons to comply with the security and traffic management plans that have been put in place for this weekend’s events so as to alleviate congestion on the roadways and allow for smooth flow of traffic.
Tourism Minister Dr. Ernest Hilaire called for persons to adhere to the regulated traffic management plans.
“We have a fantastic plan for traffic management,” he told reporters, following Wednesday night’s Kingdom Night session.
“The park and ride system will work if everybody cooperates,” Dr Hilaire added. “I really want to appeal to all Saint Lucians to cooperate with the instructions that the police would give and to follow the provisions of the plan.”
Several designated parking locations have been identified for events at the Pigeon Island Landmark, including the Darren Sammy Stadium in Beausejour, the Aquatic Centre in Rodney Heights, Johnson’s Hardware Grounds in Gros Islet, and the Western Union Grounds opposite the Harbor Club.
Paid shuttles will be available at these locations to transport attendees to and from Pigeon Island.