Rupununi Festival comes to Georgetown
Guyanese can continue to enjoy the ‘mash fever’ at least up until March 4, when the exciting, entertaining, fun-filled and affordable ‘after-Mash’ Rupununi Music & Arts Festival comes to Thirst Park (Banks DIH).
A press release from the organisers said that from 3 pm, Thirst Park is expected to be buzzing and will be alive with “sounds and smells, laughter and lights - music, dance, spoken work and comedy.”
Artistes from Barbados, St Vincent and the UK are expected to join forces with artistes from Guyana to share some ‘festival slices’ and celebrate life. The Georgetown connection promises to be an exciting entertainment event with food and fun for the whole family.
According to the release from Barbados, the Mighty Gabby, youngest ever and nine times calypso Monarch of Barbados will headline the weekend. It was stated that his international hits include “The List,” “Jack,” “Boots,” “West Indian Politician,” “Emmerton” and many more. Gabby, as he is affectionately called, will be accompanied by international Barbadian writer, theatre director and spoken word artiste, Winston Farrell. The Caribbean spoken word team will also include the well-known academic and spoken word artiste from St Vincent, Phil Nanton.
Guyana will make its presence known on stage with some of its best in music, spoken word, comedy and dance. Dave Martin & Friends will spearhead the local team. Dave, born and raised in Guyana, is known across the Caribbean as the leader/songwriter of the popular Tradewinds band founded in 1966. He was awarded Guyana’s Golden Arrow of Achievement in 1981 for contribution to music. He will be amply supported by the popular, vibrant, rock band, Feed The Flames plus Collage, Nachgana Academy of Dance, Chuckie & Gavin Mendonca, Surama Cultural Group and many others still to be announced.
To add to the world flavour of Caribbean and regional music, the international Guyanese flautist Keith Waithe is expected to make a special appearance at the event. A variety of local food, arts and craft, book sales, games and inter-active fun events for the young at heart and some scouting activities will be there to seduce you as well.
The organisers revealed that a special feature of the Georgetown Connection will be a “Talk Tent”. Programmed for afternoon/early evening, in a small, intimate space, these sessions will be relaxed and informal, sharing conversations with some of the artistes.
“You will have the opportunity to listen to, ask questions, learn more about the artistic journeys and meet some of the artistes who will be performing during the day,” they promised.
“Including Georgetown in the Rupununi Music & Arts Festival programming has been integral to the festival’s strategic plan since inception, and so March 4 is simply the first of many events to be staged annually in Georgetown. The Georgetown Connection will provide a slice of what you can expect when you join us in August this year in the Rupunun,” said festival Director Dr Bob Ramdhanie.
The release stated that the festival is a world-music, camping-based festival which began in 2013 at Rock View, Annai and will be moving this year to a new location (Manari Ranch, Region 9) for this year’s festival August 18 – 20, 2017. Long-term plans are to create a vibrant Festival Village in the Rupununi, offering a range of educational, music and arts related training programmes. Gavin Mendonca, Guyanese musician, sees the huge potential that a festival like this can bring to Guyana and adds, “The festival in the Rupununi is a real opportunity for Guyanese people to appreciate the beautiful country that Guyana is, and to do so listening to great music is an added experience,” he said in a release.
The festival, including the Georgetown Connection event, is said to be “a genuine Government, private sector and NGO partnership and is supported by the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Banks DIH Ltd, Rent-a-Tent, Giftland Mall, Republic Bank, Cara Lodge, Silverbait Design Inc., Guyana Tourism Authority, THAG, Air Services Ltd, NAMILCO Inc, Trans Guyana Airways and others, who collectively help to make the event a very special treat.”
Tickets are available at Giftland Mall and Gizmos and Gadgets