The event is being planned and organized by the group, SPIRIT, which says that it will unveil the brand of the community festival that’s been in the pipelines for some time now.
A launch ceremony is being planned for this week Friday, (5th November), in a festive night dubbed ‘Chambalay’. The streets of Sandy Point will come alive with three spectacular crowd-drawing events, culminating in the unveiling of a logo for the upcoming festival.
The night begins with a cultural Chambalay jam through the streets of Sandy Point, with chambalay torches and the music of pan and an iron band.
It is hoped that the event will bring back the fun of yesteryears, in the first ever Iron Band jam walk-through. The jam starts at 7:00 P.M. and leads up to Mount Idle, where for the first time SPIRIT will hold its Black Auction – (place the highest bid and walk away with services from SPIRIT member).
Seanel Riley, head of the task force, appointed to spearhead the first phase of the festival’s planning, said this is just the beginning of a ground-breaking festival.
“The Federation has already sampled the quality of events that SPIRIT stages and the upcoming festival which is slated for next April is going to be fresh: a new image, new ideas and new blood”.
Riley said that, “As we get closer to next April, we intend to issue a skeleton of our events that undoubtedly will be packed with new and innovative ideas, as it is our goal to appeal to widest cross section of the community as possibly”.
As early as 1971, before the nationalizing of Carnival, Sandy Point was seen as the hub of community festivities, and according to Riley, SPIRIT is grateful for the legacy laid down by groups such as The Sandy Point Self Help Group, Superfly, SPODACS (Dynarama) and Easterama. Through their hard work, the group can now build on the foundation laid to deliver high quality, memorable events.
The decision to revive the community festival came from a six-week community needs assessment undertaken by SPIRIT in May of this year, as many community residents thought that such events have the potential to pull people closer together.
The group invites all to be part of history when the new logo and name will be revealed.