As the Port-of-Spain Corporation continues to commemorate City Day with 102nd anniversary celebrations, the western suburb of the nation’s capital is expected to explode in a burst of colour this evening from 6 o’clock with the staging of Fashion & Mas Rock the City.
This unique event, which will showcase fashion and T&T Carnival, will be staged at Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook, and is being co-produced by world-renowned, award-winning designer Anya Ayoung Chee, commissioned by Port-of-Spain Mayor Kerron Valentine, and assisted by Leah Marville and a crew of young, creative people.
The street parade of fashion and mas will feature local and foreign designers from Exhibit A, in addition to costumes from The Lost Tribe and Tribe. The production also includes a Tobago Heritage display and traditional carnival characters. There will also be live performances by steelbands and popular artistes.
The parade begins at Alberto Street and makes its way along Ariapita Avenue, proceeding east to Adam Smith Square for performances and the fashion display. With the protective services out in full force, traffic restrictions will be in force along the parade route.
The show at Adam Smith Square will be hosted by Kwesi “Hypa Hoppy” Hopkinson, an honoree. Ayoung-Chee and Ultimate Events director Dean Ackin are also amongst some of the honorees who will be receiving the Mayor’s Award for their outstanding contribution in their various fields. Other honorees include Shaun Sammy.
The evening’s proceedings will also see performances from 5Star Akil, Ronnie McIntosh and Olatunji, and the parade contingent includes Newtown Playboyz Steel Symphony, as well as masqueraders from 2016 Band of the Year winner Ronnie and Caro, Fantasy Carnival and Passion. This is a family event and free for all to attend.
Meanwhile, the Port-of-Spain Corporation is tying up loose ends for its June 24, Pan Down Frederick Street parade, which will showcase some of the nation’s popular steel orchestras along the parade route from Pan Trinbago’s headquarters on Park Street, and in Desperadoes’ panyard on Frederick Street.
Pan parade in crisis in St James
Although requests were made to state entities since March, officials of this year’s Steelband & Traditional Carnival Mas Parade scheduled for tomorrow evening, were awaiting word on sponsorship, with lingering doubt whether it would be held at all.
A spokesman for the St James Community Improvement Committee (St James CIC), producer of this annual event for the last 16 years, said that this year obtaining sponsorship for this event has been an onerous challenge, making it very difficult to produce the 2016 WeBeat St James Live festival.
Up to press time yesterday the (St James CIC) was awaiting final word from the line ministry on sponsorship of the steelbands invited to participate in tomorrow’s parade.
However, before the steelband and mas production, WeBeat St James Live continues this evening with the staging of WeKaiso featuring several calypsonians performing vintage calypsoes.
Acts billed for tonight’s WeKaiso include reigning National Calypso Monarch Roderick “Chucky” Gordon; Scrunter (Irwin Reyes Johnson); Brian London; Bally (Errol Ballantyne); Bro Mudada (Alan Fortune); Ajala (Keith Sutherland); SuperBlue (Austin Lyons); and, 5 Star Akil (Akil Borneo). Musical accompaniment will be by Pelham Goddard & Roots.
WeBeat St James Live is also staging J’Ouvert tomorrow morning, from 5 am. It is the first time that a J’Ouvert masquerade has been officially sanctioned by the authorities to be part of WeBeat St James Live. The parade begins at The Amphitheatre and proceeds east along Western Main Road to Roxy Roundabout and back.
Brian LaFond, an organiser of the J’Ouvert emphasised that the event is exclusive only to steelband music. Steelbands already signed to parade the route include St James Tripolians and Scrunters Pan Groove. LaFond added that rhythm sections are also included. He said: “We are trying to have a J’Ouvert like J’Ouvert was in the old days and we are encouraging the senior old mas masqueraders to come out in their costumes and play their mas, the way they played in yesteryear. Of course the young folk are also most welcome to participate in the fun.”
WeBeat St James Live 2016 will have its climax on Sunday in the form of WeCruise aboard the Treasure Queen, berthed at Pier 2, Chaguaramas. Boarding time is 3 pm.