Thirty-two contingents have already confirmed their participation in CARIFESTA with St Maarten among three new entrants, the CARIFESTA Secretariat said on Friday in a press release.

The secretariat is currently finalizing the events and item logs for the various venues and days during CARIFESTA X to be held from 22nd to 31st August.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony said that a number of major private industries have already given support to CARIFESTA X, including DDL and Banks DIH. In addition, they have both come forward  to host individual Super Concerts during CARIFESTA while earlier they  donated  $10M each.  And recently Digicel donated $12.2M.

Meanwhile, Guyana is expected to have its own Super Concert where local as well as international artistes will perform. The minister said that it is expected that all major sponsors will come on board shortly.

Since all events will be free, the release said, a ticketing plan will be unveiled shortly by the CARIFESTA Secretariat in order to prevent confusion at the different venues.

“People will not be allowed into the different locations without tickets,” the minister said.

Regarding the two Super Concerts to be staged by Banks DIH and DDL, they will unveil their ticket plan shortly.

Certain items have already been prohibited at the venues such as firearms, knifes, nails, razors, fireworks, explosives and narcotics. People who are planning to attend Super Concerts are advised not to walk with these items, since it will be taken away or they will be detained.