Culture

Thousands ready to hit the road for Foreday Morning Jam

The National Cultural Foundation is preparing for an even bigger Kooyman Foreday Mornin’ Jam than the past years of the massive jouvert event where thousands of revelers in 29 registered bands will take to the streets of Bridgetown from the three starting points, Queen’s Park, Bay Street and BIDC, to proceed down the Mighty Grynner Highway at 1 a.m. on Saturday August 3, 2024.

At the exciting media launch, the National Cultural Foundation’s Corporate Communications Specialist Toni Yarde shared some of the excitement planned for the viewing public and revelers.

“The Foreday Morning Jam vendors and patrons will again benefit this year from the Bridgetown Market party zones that will be set up from Princess Alice Highway to Mighty Grynner Highway during the Crop Over climax weekend”, Yarde stated.

*Revellers having a time at Foreday Morning Jam,*

The Kooyman Foreday Mornin’ Jam benefits from a $45,000 investment from Kooyman, and bandleaders who have staged a band for two consecutive years will receive a subvention of $4000 Barbados dollars along with the usual assistance with marketing and promotion from the Foundation.

“Corporate partners are vital to this endeavour. In order for the festival to thrive, much like Foreday has over the years, financial support is needed to sustain this growth. This is why Kooyman’s investment in Foreday Morning Jam last year and this year is invaluable. An investment, we at the NCF, do not take lightly”, stated the NCF’s Communications Specialist.

*Thousands to hit the street for the Kooyman Foreday Mornin Jam.*

The golden anniversary of Crop Over and the 85th anniversary of Kooyman’s operations in the Caribbean have made for a perfect pair and a grand celebration of colour, creativity and community.

“As we have done throughout the Caribbean for 85 years, Kooyman continues a tradition of community investment here in Barbados” stated Chief Executive Officer of Kooyman, Juri Kooyman.

“Since establishing this Megastore here at Kendal Hill, Kooyman has supported a myriad of initiatives under our social responsibility pillars of sustainability, poverty reduction, youth and education” the CEO added.

Kooyman has been spreading the Crop Over 50th anniversary excitement throughout the community and to its customers with storewide sales and special offers tied to the festival and their anniversary.

“Our anniversary celebrations are a testament to Kooyman’s commitment to quality, service, and people. That’s why we are marking this significant milestone with special deals, giveaways, promotions, and community events” shared Stefan Potthoff, Assistant Store Manager at Kooyman.

The Kooyman team has also been working with cultural practitioners Nandi Yard and Spinny, who is also a Crop Over 50th Anniversary ambassador, in support of islandwide cultural cardio classes. (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.