Entertainment

BARBADOS REGGAE FESTIVAL BACK FOR 2023 – APRIL 28 TO MAY 1

AFTER A four year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, one of Barbados’ biggest Festivals, the Barbados Reggae Festival is back!

This year, the festival will run for one weekend featuring its three main events, the Q100.7FM Vintage Reggae Show and Dance on Friday April 28 at Kensington Oval -doors open at 7 p.m., the Digicel Reggae on the Hill on Sunday, April 30 at the Farley Hill National Park – doors open at 11 a.m., and the Reggae Beach Party – Bad Like ’90s Dancehall on May Day, Monday, May 1 at Artistry Beach on Bay Street – doors open at 4 p.m.

All three events will feature a star-studded cast of international and regional acts including the likes of Grammy Award-winning Third World, Maxi Priest, Flourgon, Fab 5, Anthony B, Spragga Benz, Alkaline, Christopher Martin, Turbulence, Jahshii, Mad Cobra, Louie Culture, Byron Messia and Sossa.

Joining them will be some of Barbados’ best including Wendy Alleyne, Mike Grosvenor, The Rite Side of Red, LRG, David Kirton, Peach Bless and Chief Diin along with top DJs and hosts such as Lil Rick, Daddy Fabian, Scott Le Roc, Indian and Chris Gayle, Bard International, Rigo Suave, DJ Ras, Jagwa, Full Clip, Surf Rat and Menace, Admiral Nelson, Peter Coppin, Jamar the Star, Infamous and Jordan English.

Allison Hunte, Director of FAS7STAR, Producers of the Barbados Reggae Festival, explained that this year’s events were shaping up to be a fantastic weekend of the best of the best in reggae.

She said, “After four years we are very excited to be back with the Reggae Festival. We can’t wait to welcome our regional and local acts back to our event, but most importantly, to put on three great entertainment packages for our faithful patrons who have expressed their excitement about the festival’s return.”

The organisers advised that holders of tickets for the Barbados Reggae Festival in 2020 were invited to return them to receive credit towards the purchase of tickets for the upcoming 2023 events. Hunte said, “A special Ticketlinkz pop-up box-office will be set-up at Kensington Oval – Room 504 from Thursday, April 20 to Saturday, April 22 and Monday, April 24 to Tuesday, April 25, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., to facilitate this process and ensure it is as seamless as possible for our patrons.”

She further stressed that only 2023 tickets will be accepted at the door for all Barbados Reggae Festival events this year.

Entertainment

Sagicor Life Inc. Lighting Ceremony This Friday

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment will host the Sagicor Life Inc. Lighting Ceremony this Friday, November 1, marking the start of the annual community Independence celebrations.

This year’s ceremony will be held under the theme Celebrating Our Communities: Re-engaging, Re-igniting, Re-imagining, and will take place on Friday, November 1, at 5:30 p.m., at National Heroes Square, The City.

Following the Lighting Ceremony, the celebrations will continue with a Bajan Brew at 7:00 p.m., offering an evening filled with spouge, drama, song, and steel pan performances.

The event is free and open to all, providing an opportunity for the community to come together and enjoy the rich cultural heritage of Barbados as we celebrate Independence.

Patrons are encouraged to arrive early and make any necessary transportation arrangements due to expected road closures in the vicinity of Wharf Road and Trafalgar Street. (PR/GIS)

Entertainment

A SEA OF YELLOW AT RISE & RUM BREAKFAST PARTY

Patrons enjoyed a day filled with food, fun, and sun at Rise and Rum, the penultimate event of this year’s Barbados Food and Rum Festival.

Food lovers had an abundance of delicious dishes to savour on Saturday—from roasted breadfruit and seafood boils to various fish delicacies and scrumptious desserts, offering a wide array of options to enjoy.
Of course, there was no shortage of entertain, and local bands Square One and Krosfyah once again teamed up to keep the crowds grooving as they enjoyed their savour foodie treats in fine style.

Entertainment

Let us celebrate Jackie Opel

Tuesday 27^th August was a significant day in the history of local music. It marked the birthday of Dalton Bishop better known as Jackie Opel. The musical icon would have turned 84. Jackie Opel was an outstanding singer, composer, and creator of the Spouge music genre who was born on August 27, 1938, in the inner-city area of Chapman Lane.

*Shantal Munroe Knight, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office*

In 1962 Jackie migrated to Jamaica where he lived for six years. He was influential in the formative careers of some of Jamaica’s iconic entertainers. From Bob Marley to Jimmy Cliff, Ken Hopeton, Alton Ellis, and the early days of the band The Wailers.

On his return to Barbados Jackie Opel was gearing up to take his career and his newly created spouge music to a higher level. Plans were afoot to produce a concert, but fate was not kind, and he died in a car accident on Bay Street on March 9, 1970.

Special Free Concert Yesterday

The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) hosted a special concert, last night, in Freedom Park to honour Jackie Opel.

A cast of some of the island’s top singers graced the stage to perform a wide range of spouge songs. The modest audience can count themselves lucky to have attended an event that will be a benchmark in local music history.

Artists thrilled those in attendance

Performers included the following, Wendy Alleyne, Shadia Marshall, Keisha Christian, Mickey Dee, Mike Grosvenor, Colin Spencer, Desmond Weekes, Jamal Slocombe, Simon Pipe, D J Simmons, Bit Bit, Ishiaka, Romario Greaves, Alix Cage, Adrian Clarke and Edwin Yearwood.

Senator the Hon. Shantal Munro-Knight, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office delivered the opening remarks, and Ambassador to CARICOM David Comissiong delivered the feature address. It was generally felt by those in attendance that a Jackie Opel Birthday Concert should be held annually. (Article and photos by Christopher Williams)