The first-ever Yamaha Sunfest Beach Festival turned out to be an incredible event on Saturday, drawing huge crowds from Saint Lucia, Guadeloupe and Martinique to the beaches of the Pigeon Island Causeway.
A lively blend of Soca, Dennery Segment, Reggae, and other popular music genres engrossed both local fans and visitors from nearby islands.
Top performers from Saint Lucia, such as Umpa, Cooyah, Blackboy, Ezra D’fun Machine, Imran Nerdy, and Ricky T, were featured in the roster, enthralling the enthusiastic audience. The DYP Band supported the headliners, the renowned Martiniquan artist Kalash and up-and-coming Jamaican Dancehall star Kraff.
Many others joined the celebrations from the calm waters, adding to the overall enjoyment of the event as fans danced and took in the mood in front of the stage.
The event’s success was confirmed by positive reviews, and the organizers expressd their satisfaction.
Government representatives and important stakeholders started talking with the Yamaha promoters eighteen months ago to organize this event, according to Gros Islet Member of Parliament (MP) Kenson Casimir. He underlined how in-depth these discussions were and how the Ministry of Tourism and the Events Saint Lucia (ESL) worked well with the organizers to produce a remarkable program.
ESL organised events in Soufriere prior to Saturday’s celebration, where locals and tourists interacted during the well-attended Gros Islet Friday Night Street Party.
Local merchants stated that the tourists who visited their booths and stayed at nearby B&Bs brought in a sizable amount of money.
“With boats on the water and people congregating to have fun, it was an amazing carnival-like atmosphere on the beach,” Casimir said.
Backstage performers talked about their experiences and complimented the organizers on a job well done on the beach event.
Umpa said, “It’s a fantastic initiative,” and thanked them for being chosen to perform. It feels great to perform here, and I just got back from the World Creole Festival in Dominica. I’m excited for the upcoming event and urge them to keep going.
“Yamaha Sunfest and events like this contribute to our development as artists. They are limited opportunities, and not everyone gets a chance to perform. We learn from recordings and discussions with other artists, using these experiences to enhance our craft. A big thank you to the government and organizers for promoting the growth of the creative arts.” Ezra said.
That’s how it was Saturday on the waters on the Pigeon Island Causeway.