Rupununi Music & Arts Festival set for February

The annual Rupununi Music & Arts Festival will be held from February 16 to 18 at Manari Ranch, Lethem in Region Nine.

According to the Department of Public Information, for the first time, the festival will be hosted at the ranch which will become its “home base” for the next few years.

Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock recently handed over a $5M cheque to the organisers of the festival. He stated that the new Manari location will allow for more indigenous producers and farmers to market their products.

The Rupununi Music & Arts Festival is also an environmental venture. Patrons will enjoy camping, a festival of music from different countries, dance, yoga, spoken work, arts and crafts displays, performances, workshops plus opportunities to explore nature. Artistes from Guyana will be joined by performers from Brazil and Suriname.

The festival is a collaborative effort between the government, the private sector, and NGOs. It was first held at Rock View, North Rupununi in 2013, then activities were moved to Georgetown in March 2017 for persons on the coast to experience the festival.