Holetown Festival returns – Barbados Today

The return of the Holetown Festival has signalled  another step in the direction of normalcy for the island’s entertainment scene.

The  scaled down festivities, which  are scheduled to run from February 17  to 19, started on Friday night at the Trent’s Pasture with the official opening ceremony and  the Chefette/Frostees Tattoo. The ground was packed as patrons gathered at every vantage point to get a view of the activities. The town crier welcomed his eager audience in his own inimitable fashion.

The featured address was delivered by parliamentary representative for the St James South constituency, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Business Development and Branch Sandra Husbands.

Husbands praised the efforts of the Holetown Planning Committee for their dedication to hosting this edition of the festival despite the challenges. She continued to address government’s approach noting, “The pandemic truly reshaped our lives, and it redefined  our national goals and objectives and as a government we had to pivot. We had to turn on a dime in order to keep Barbados safe and keep it stable. But yet the pandemic did something else, it highlighted the value of the cultural sector to humanity, the importance of performances, of expression.”

She added “The current global economic situation and the climate crisis has demonstrated the need for us as a people to rethink the promotion and presentation of our cultural artforms and practices.”

With the year of the youth being celebrated in 2023, the Holetown Festival Committee has chosen to  shine a spotlight on some of the island’s  best. Peace Ambassador Kerrisha Skeete, a student at Frederick Smith Secondary School had the honour of opening the festival.

Youthful talent was on highlight throughout the night. Among the featured artistes were saxophonist Kofi Gilkes, who skilfully performed the National Anthem and Sisters in Harmony with their rendition of The Prayer. The Haynesville Youth Group entertained with dance and the cheerleaders from the Blackman and Gollop Primary School impressed with their lifts and gyrations. Reigning  Calypso Monarch Quon performed his winning track Animal Kingdom followed by Brand New.

The always highly anticipated cultural celebration included a tribute to the Mighty Grynnner. Ishiaka McNiel performed two of the veteran calypsonian’s top hits as he mimicked some of the maestro’s dance moves. Queen Archibald Cox provided some comic relief as he touched on topics from Rihanna’s recent performance at the Super Bowl to the prevalence of crime on the island. Other performers in the entertainment segment were Dancin’ Africa and fire-eater Fuhnominon.

One of the major drawing cards for both locals and tourists alike was the tattoo where the Barbados Police Service not only displayed their musical artistry, but also got to show a different sphere of what they can do. Mac Fingal provided the audience with all the information they needed to know as members of the force went through their paces.  The audience thoroughly enjoyed the Drill Squad’s dance moves to the popular Afrobeat song Calm Down.

Always a favourite is the game of musical sacks, which sees members of the mounted troupe playing their version of musical chairs. Another light-hearted moment was the Dress Up Race when officers raced to see who could dismount their horses first and quickly fit themselves into some comical clothes and wigs that were bagged at one end of the field. Officers Tito Ellis and Adrian Hurley squared off in a battle for drumming supremacy, playing a selection of popular music.

The night was capped off with the after party with performances from Soca Monarch Mikey and Ambassador for the festival Hypasounds. At the conclusion, those who were not ready to call it a night  moved over to the nearby Liming Tent . (STT)

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