It was yet another colourful display when the Government of Barbados launched Carifesta XIII on Monday, with a live broadcast of the occasion.
The event was held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre in Bridgetown, Barbados. Barbados has set aside Bds$6 million for the hosting of the regional cultural arts festival later this year, August 17-27. Some 3000 artistes are expected to attend Carifesta from 15 countries, while interest had been generated in the United States, Canada, Brazil and Cuba.
The Carifesta Secretariat has already been established, with a logo and jingle created, while the website had gone live, CMC reported.
Under the theme, “Asserting Our Culture, Celebrating Ourselves”, Barbados is hoping to host the best Carifesta yet. In addition to the Grand Market, there will be a number of entertainment events at various venues across the island “where the extensive talent of this region will be showcased”, the Barbados Culture, Sports and Youth Ministry was quoted in local media as earlier saying.
According to the Ministry, plans are being made for two super concerts, three signal events and nightly performances from the various country delegations.
Many of the venues, including some schools, are currently at various stages of refurbishment in preparation for the festival, last hosted in Barbados in 1981.
Barbados Culture Minister Stephen Lashley is urging local businesses to use the Festival as an opportunity to showcase their services and their goods to the world.
“I hope you’ve thought a lot about the creative sector. There are many opportunities, within the Carifesta experience…I want you to factor in how business and entrepreneurs will respond to the opportunity of Carifesta,” Lashley recently said.
“This event is not just another Carifesta, it focuses on the empowerment of men and women through the creation of business ideas that can be transformed into products and services the rest of the world wants,” the Culture Minister noted.
