Culture

$50 00 more in prize money for Junior Kadooment

This year the National Cultural Foundation has increased the prizes in Sunshine Snacks Junior Kadooment by close to $50 000.

Twenty-three participating bands will cross the stage to face the judges – with each registered entity vying to win any of the $146 000 in prizes that are up for grabs.

Those judging under private bands have $97 400 in prize money while the under the Sandy Charitable Trust Junior Masquerade Project will vie for $48 700 in prize money.

For Crop Over’s golden anniversary, Stacia Bryan, Event Coordinator at the NCF, promises a memorable highlight of the milestone during this year’s staging of Sunshine Snacks Junior Kadooment.

“The event will have a very special tribute to the 50th anniversary with masquerade and after show featuring Mikey, Brucelee Almightee, Peter Ram and Fadda Fox,” she said with a smile.

While in the midst of preparation for the annual production where children get to ‘play mas’, she revealed how the parade will be filled with creativity and flair featuring nods to local culture in grandiose designs. But she kept her cards close to her chest about the tribute: “That is one of my little secrets that I’m holding a little bit closer [until that day].”

That’s because Bryan wants you to experience it for yourself. On Saturday, July 20, at the National Botanical Gardens, she invites everyone to immerse themselves in a once-in-a-lifetime celebration.

“Fifty years of a festival is not an easy feat!” she said.

This year, 23 registered bands -13 from communities and schools and 10 from private entities – will come together for the spectacle.

“It is a testament of the work that has been done through the Cultural Development Department [of the NCF]. And we are very happy with the results that we are seeing,” she said.

Bryan was full of praise for the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust Junior Masquerade Project In Association With Abed’s initiative and the committed band leaders within the private sector.

The project and the band leaders, she said, are the lifeblood that transfers traditional skills and knowledge to younger generations to help them understand the art of costume-making and masquerading from seasoned artisans.

“It opens up children to cultural appreciation. We see Junior Kadooment as an investment into masquerade on a whole overall. And when you are able to expose young children to the masquerade genre, it opens up for them the interest in the Crop Over festival,” said Bryan.

Themes from cultural traditions, references to national heroes, and more from the Barbadian milieu can be expected to cross the stage when the juniors come out to play.

“And with the plans set in place for this year’s masquerade it will ensure that. After all, Crop Over only 50 once. You can bring the children to the Botanical Gardens. Even the ones who are not in the parade will still have activations that they can do.

“Make it a day for the family. Watch the parade; be a part of the proceedings; and enjoy Junior Kadooment on the 50th anniversary of Crop Over!,” Bryan said of the event which will feature an after-party and a kid zone filled with thrilling rides and exciting games. (PR)

Culture

BPS Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition Winners Announced

Five winning teams have emerged from the recently held prize-giving ceremony of the inaugural ‘Barbados Postal Service (BPS) 2024 Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition’.

The winners hail from the Post Offices of St. Joseph; St. George; Welches Road; St. Philip and the General Post Office in Cheapside.

The overall winner of the competition is the eight-member team of the General Post Office’s Accounts Section, who each received an Island Safari Tour. Second place went to the Welches Road Post Office, third was the St. Philip Post Office, fourth was the St. George Post Office and fifth place went to the St. Joseph Post Office.

Winning Teams (flanked by BPS management), of the inaugural ‘BPS Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition’, from the GPO; Welches Road PO; St. Philip PO; St. George PO and the St. Joseph PO.

Postmaster General, Joann Busby, in her address to the winners, stated, “We look forward to many more events like this in the future, celebrating both our history and commitment to excellence.”

Concept Creator of the competition, BPS Marketing Officer Neiai Hall said, “This competition aims to showcase the creativity and cultural expression of our staff, through costume design and performance. The theme of the competition is rooted in our rich heritage and the vibrant spirit of Crop Over.

On left – ‘BPS Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition’ 2nd Place Winning Costume, On right – ‘BPS Crop Over Do-FFlicky Costume Competition’ 3rd Place Winning Costume.

“We have encouraged participants to design costumes that not only display their creativity but also incorporate elements that represent the services offered by the BPS”.

The judging criteria consisted of Sustainability; Creativity; Depiction of a BPS Service; Originality; Portrayal; Video Creativity and Originality; Practicality and Inclusivity and Descriptive Write-Up.

Plaques were presented to each of the winning teams and the St. Joseph Post Office also received the Postmaster General’s special award for Outstanding Advertising Video in the competition. (PR/GIS)

Culture

LAST LAP WEEKEND – Ended with Pic-o-de-Crop Finals, Foreday Jump and Kadooment

AN INCIDENT FREE FESTIVAL By David Harris

After two months of activities that included early morning breakfast fetes and late-night parties, the golden anniversary of the Crop Over Festival ended with the Grand Kadooment on Monday.

Over 10.000 revellers in 18 bands danced on the new route which began at the Helipad in Bridgetown and ended in front of Kensington Oval. The street parade was changed its 9 a.m. start to 10 a.m. by the National Cultural Foundation after the Barbados Meteorological Service placed the island under a severe thunderstorm watch.

Eventually, the Blue Box Cart band got the parade moving at 10.07 and the masqueraders began wining and chipping on the streets of Bridgetown.

Only 13 of the 18 bands on parade judged, among the revellers were Barbadian superstar and National Hero, the Right Excellent Robin Rihanna Fenty and former West Indies captain Brian Lara.

Some bands were still heading towards the Mighty Grynner Highway just before at minutes to 9 o’clock. Aura was the last band to reach the highway before the police ended the parade.

The Grand Kadooment ended an action-packed weekend that included the Pic O De Crop Finals at the National Botanical Gardens in Waterford on Friday night, the Foreday Morning Jam which began in Bridgetown in the wee hours of morning and the Grand Kadooment on Monday.

Fans were primed for thrilling contest between the defending monarch IWeb (Ian Webster) and Adrian “AC” Clarke who placed second in last year’s Pic O De Crop competition; but it was AC who captured the crown for the third time after IWeb who appeared to have forgotten the lyrics of the De Village Ram in the second half of the competition.

Clarke performed at number 16 (immediately behind IWeb) and stamped his authority on the competition with an impressive performance of the self-penned Going Fuh Crown, the judges awarded him 133 points, 28 more than Sir Ruel who came second.

Adrian Clarke the 2024 Calypso Monarch

His impressive performance won the first prize of $100,000 or a Nissan E Powe X- Trail valued at $136,000; Clarke told journalists after the competition he had opted to take the vehicle instead of the prize money. Clarke, 52, first won the crown in 2001 and in 2008.

Sir Ruel was the most outstanding performer in the first half with A Single Bullet, he wrote the calypso in memory of his brother Dario Jon-Luc Holder-Branch who was shot to death in February this year. The former Junior Monarch amassed 105 points and won a cash prize of $40,000.

*Sir Ruel, Pic of de Crop, 2nd place winner*

Perennial finalist Chrystal Cummins-Beckles placed third with De Proposal, the multi-talented musician, arranger and composer was awarded 97 points and the $20,000 prize.

Billboard placed fourth for the second consecutive his calypso earned him a cash prize of $15,000; and first timer Tae, the youngest competitor in the final took the fifth position and $10,000 with A Big Cirus.

Calypsonians placing from the sixth to tenth position received $8,000 each, those coming 11 th to 18 th got $6000.

The competition started 51 minutes after the scheduled 8 p.m. due to technical hitches with video presentations, and one contestant (Kid Site) had to start over his song because of problems with the audio. The second half started just after midnight and ended at 2.10 a.m.

In commemoration of the 50 th anniversary of the Crop Festival there were performances by former monarchs the Mighty Destroyer. Red Plastic, the Mighty Gabby and Edwin Yearwood.