IT IS IRONIC that following the celebration of the 1937 Riots and then of Emancipation during the last week of July, Barbadians will come together today in their thousands to revel in Kadooment Day festivities.
This event, which brings the annual Crop Over Festival to an end, shows that despite differences there is more which unites rather than divides this country’s people.
Of the thousands who will be gathered at the National Stadium to witness the parade of bands before they participate in the street parade, the spotlight will be on the creative skills of our designers. It affords the most popular tunes of the season further exposure by the bands on the road. This is an occasion not just about a potpourri of people displaying their masquerading skills, but more about developing our people-to-people contacts.
Kadooment affords the opportunity for us to showcase Barbados’ best creative talents to the world without depending on the Barbados Tourism Authority to make the event
happen. Thanks to the widespread use of social media, quite a lot of what is done at the National Stadium, on the streets and on the Spring Garden Highway will be captured on camera and shared on Facebook and YouTube.
The presence of international artistes such as Will Smith and Columbus Short over this weekend in Barbados should also give a fillip not just to Crop Over, but to the island in general. That they were actively involved in some of the activities ranging from private parties to public events should have exposed them to what we offer. Both men will attract the entertainment news media whose audiences will want to know more about Kadooment, Crop Over and more importantly Barbados.
Hopefully our designers will use this opportunity to highlight their creative best. Both visitors and locals will marvel about exciting costume designs which show off what we can accomplish not only by the experienced hands, but more importantly those who are trying new concepts and looking to excite and export their ideas.
This is also one day – the culmination of an extended weekend – which gives businesses, big and small, the chance to exploit commercial opportunities. Despite the challenging economic circumstances, patrons have been giving full support to the festival since it is a revolving cycle which will allow commerce to flourish.
The one thing which is necessary today is that in all the fun and frolic, it must all go well and without any violence. People at home and far afield must marvel that thousands can masquerade on our streets with little criminal activity.
Let’s all have a Grand Kadooment today.
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