The minister made the comment at the Media Launch for Culturama 45 at the Mount Nevis Hotel on May 03, 2019.
“I am very confident and extremely confident that our activities for this year will ensure that Culturama 2019, Culturama 45 will go down in history as the best ever staged. I am confident of that…
“I have seen the activities, they are varied, they are excellent, and I think that we have something to suit everyone. We have something for everyone’s taste, and so there is no reason why anybody on Nevis or who will be coming to Nevis, will not be able to enjoy Culturama….The variety, is rich and I believe that every Nevisian, every resident, every visitor will be able to enjoy what we have in store for Culturama 45,” he said.
Mr. Evelyn reminded that at the start of Culturama 44 in 2018, he had promised that this year’s festival would be the biggest that Nevisians have ever seen, and thanked the members of the Central Committed in the Culturama Secretariat for the outstanding work they have done so far to ensure his pledge is brought to fruition.
“I am sure that the work that the committee has done has been excellent so far and I am sure that they will deliver, and deliver in a very big way to ensure that we have the grandest Culturama that Nevisians have ever seen,” he said.
The official activities which were revealed at the launch begins with the Grand Opening of Culturama 45 on Thursday July 25 followed by the Junior Kaiso Contest. On Friday July 26 will be Steel Pan in Concert and Toucan Sound Presents. The following day on July 27 will be the Empire Sports Club Aquatic Extravaganza and the Senior Kaiso Fiesta.
On Sunday July 28 will be the QCB Poker Run, TC&A Culturama Games and later that day the Mr. and Ms. Talented Youth Pageant.
On Monday July 29 will be Poets In De Square and Musical Cornucopia. On Tuesday July 30 will be Poets In De Square, Ms. Culture Swimsuit and Mr. Kool Contest.
All day on Wednesday July 31, the Nevisian Cultural Homecoming Day will take place along with other events – Poets In De Square, Rhythmz Dance Theatre Production and Culturama 45 Homecoming Night.
On Thursday August 01 will be Poets In De Square, NCA Culturama 45 T20 (SKB vs NEV) Cricket March and the Groovy and Power Soca monarch Finals.
On Friday August 02 dubbed “Fantastic Friday” will be the Department of Agriculture’s Fruit Festival, Poets In De Square, Junior Cultural Street Parade and Culturama 45 Wet Fete.
The following day on Saturday August 03 will be the Culturama 45 Art, Craft and Cultural Food Fair, Ms. Caribbean Culture Swim Suit Contest and Mr. GQ International, and the Senior Kaiso Contest.
On Sunday August 04 will be the International Drag Racing Meet and Ms. Culture Queen Pageant.
On Monday August 05 will be Emancipation J’ouvert Jump up, Herbert’s Beach Affair, Ms. Caribbean Queen Culture Queen Pageant and King of de Jungle Sound Clash.
The following day Tuesday August 06 will be the Cultural Street Parade and Last Lap Jump up. The Prize Giving and Closing Ceremony takes place on Saturday August 24.
Ahead of the official events, the pre-calendar activities are ongoing with a Senior Kaiso Tent on Friday June 21, Freaky Friday on July 05, a Senior Kaiso Tent on Saturday July 06, an Old Fashion Tea Meeting and Glow Fete on Friday July 12.
On Saturday July 13 the Empire Sports Club 35 and Over Dance. On Sunday July 14 Senior Kaiso Eliminations. On Friday July 19 will be Richard’ Promotions Epic 4 in 1 Fete. On Saturday July 20 the Opening of Cultural Village and Soca Monarch Semi-Finals. On Sunday July 21 and 27 will be the Nevis Theatre Guild’s Dramatic, Arts and Cultural Festival and on Tuesday July 23 will be Folk Fest – An Evening of Nevisian Cultural Traditions.
The Culture Minister used the moment to encourage visitors and friends and family in the diaspora to come to the island for the summer festival. He added that this year is being planned as a homecoming event, and urged them to make early arrangements to be a part of the festivities.
“We want to make this another homecoming event. We had a homecoming for the 40th and we want to make Culturama 45 another homecoming, and so I want to use this opportunity…to encourage all Nevisians wherever you are residing to start making your plans,” he said
Mr. Evelyn spoke to the issue of participation and believes it is important for Nevisians and visitors to do so.
“It is not the same just to be a spectator, and so I am encouraging persons to be a part of the festival to participate in whatever way you can, to participate in J’ouvert, to participate in the troupes because we want our parade this year to be the biggest ever.
“So I am encouraging persons not only to come and spectate, of course we want spectators, we want you to come and support all of the shows but we want persons to be a part of the activities as well,” he said.