Residents of Region Five can look forward to a feast of cultural entertainment from over 150 local and international artistes when Cari-festa X comes to the Blairmont Community Centre Ground today.
Coordinator of the event Govin Singh told Stabroek News that the events begin at 2pm. The show includes live musical entertainment provided by the Shakti Strings Orchestra at the conclusion of the cultural segment at 8pm. He said the international troupe comprises khatak dancers from England, a folk group from Trinidad, the Brazil Banda Verano and a folk and jazz chorale from the Bahamas. The evening is also expected to be spiced up with drama and ‘edutainment’ from a delegation of Caribbean youths.
On Thursday Singh met with the heads of the local groups at his Fort Wellington office and they committed to providing masquerade, Kweh-Kweh, Latin, Indian and Amerindian dances as well as singing and tassa drumming. He said too representatives from Moraikobai were expected to showcase local crafts while a variety of Indian, English and Amerindian dishes would be on sale. A booth would also be providing free HIV/AIDS counselling and testing. Singh said the events were set to start on time and he advised patrons to be seated from noon when the gates opened.
Over 10,000 tickets were sent for the show and if the tickets have not been exhausted, persons could access them on Sunday at booths set up close to the venue. Singh said too that a team had been working tirelessly to ensure that the event was a success. The NDCs were on the ball enhancing their surroundings, while environmental health officers were ensuring that “shops and restaurants are within the regulations of high standards.”
Today over 40 volunteers will be assisting with parking, ticket collection and ushering. Special helpers will be assigned “to take care of the international delegations.” A team from the health and fire departments will also be in the ground for emergencies.
Meanwhile, Berbicians are disappointed that tickets for shows in Georgetown have been exhausted. In an invited comment co-ordinator of the Region Six event Faizal Jafarally told this newspaper that they “finished like hot cakes.” He said too the Region Six event will be held on Friday at the Albion Community Centre Ground.
