JUMP DOWN TO BARBADOS FOR CROP OVER
Summer in Barbados is filled with colour and calypso!
T
ORONTO (May 16, 2012) – Barbados comes alive every summer with the sights and sounds of its biggest, most-fun and most-loved festival, but these months are also filled with music and cultural events that will keep the entire family entertained. A new addition to this summer’s lineup is the Barbados Summer Arts Festival displaying the talents of local artisans. However, the biggest event on every Barbadian’s calendar is the Crop Over festival which, for the first time, will include mini Kadooments highlighting the regional diversity of Barbados.
The main event of the Barbados Summer Arts Festival is the Arts Mart on the Hastings Boardwalk from May 25-27. Local artists will display their works ranging from jewelry and fashion to glass creations and visual arts. Music, poetry and prose readings will transform the bustling boardwalk into a hub of creative activity.
The Crop Over festival has several new additions to its 12-week long calendar of events, including a series of mini Kadooments. The first mini Kadooment on April 14 highlighted the west coast experience. Other mini Kadooments will be held in the East in St. Andrew parish on May 28 and in the North in St. Peter parish on June 20. Also new for this year is the Bridgetown by Night Heritage Tour on Sunday, June 3. This tour, where dramatizations and costumed characters will showcase some of Bridgetown’s rich history, celebrates the designation of Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison as a World Heritage Site.
The busiest weekend in the Crop Over calendar starts on Friday, August 3 with the Pic-O-De-Crop Finals, where the top ten finalists compete for the crown in a vibrant calypso competition. The excitement continues on August 4 at the Foreday Morning Jam and at colourful all night party at Cohobblopot which showcases some of the biggest performers from the Caribbean. After a quick costume change, it’s time for the official end of Crop Over – Grand Kadooment on August 6, 2012.
The pinnacle of the festival, the Grand Kadooment, is an island-wide, elaborately costumed celebration when more than 15,000 costumed dancers in 25 bands take to the streets of Bridgetown in the ultimate party parade to the rhythms of steel pan drums, soca and calypso. Last year, Rihanna “jumped down da road” with Baje International band setting entertainment websites on fire. Spectators line Spring Garden Highway as the season’s soca stars compete to earn the coveted Tune of the Crop title.
The origin of the festival dates back to the 1780s when Barbados was one of the world’s foremost sugar producers and has evolved to become a series of entertainment and heritage events. Visitors from all over the Caribbean, North America and Europe flock to Barbados each year to experience this lively showcase of the multi-faceted Barbadian culture, in addition to its pristine beaches, breathtaking sunsets, Zagat-rated cuisine and vibrant nightlife. During the final three days of Crop Over, Spring Garden Highway is the heart of the festival. The entire stretch of road is converted to ‘Bridgetown Market’ a bustling marketplace of arts and crafts, traditional foods, plus entertainment including steel bands, dance groups, folk performers, gospel singers and calypsonians.
For further information on the 2012 Crop Over Festival, go to www.visitbarbados.org/cropover or www.barbadoscropoverfestival.com . Alternatively, contact the Barbados Tourism Authority at 1-800-268-9122 .