by WENDY BURKE

KENSINGTON OVAL IS READY for the staging of three major Crop-Over events that will be held there for the first time this year.

The Pic-O-De-Crop Finals on August 1, Cohobblopot on August 3, and Junior Kadooment on July 26 will be at the redeveloped cricket stadium.

During a sponsors breakfast yesterday at Sherbourne Conference Centre, a number of innovations to the festival were announced.

Ken Knight, chairman of the board of the National Cultural Foundation, organisers of the festival, said it was with pride and satisfaction that the NCF was announcing its readiness for Crop-Over 2008.

He said new security measures were in place which would be co-ordinated by former assistant commissioner of police Louis Sealy, who also co-ordinated security for Cricket World Cup 2007.

Knight also announced some changes for Grand Kadooment.

"In addition to the regular Station Hill route, masqueraders will also travel along Bush Hall to Bank Hall. As we institute these changes, ladies and gentlemen, it is our intention to keep our sponsors and the media fully informed of our plans," he said.

Minister of Community Development and Culture Steve Blackett thanked the sponsors for their continued commitment and for being part of a series of innovative ideas, including the opening ceremony which will have a new element.

"It will take the form of a float parade capturing the 11 parishes with floats arriving at Queen's Park with the Parish Ambassadors depicting aspects of those respective parishes," he said.