NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (June 29, 2022) – Nevisians showed up in record numbers for the recently concluded St. Kitts Music Festival, helping to make the event one of the largest in recent years.
Data provided by the Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority (NASPA) shows that over the period June 23 to 26, some 8,089 persons used Nevis’ ports to attend the Music Festival and fringe events including Carambola’s White Sands Beach Fete. Persons also made the journey via the Sea Bridge at Cades Bay.
Nevis Premier Hon. Mark Brantley, Minister of Tourism in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), who has always been a proponent of inter-island travel between St. Kitts and Nevis to support activities and events, welcomed the news that Nevisians had traveled to their sister island in their masses for the festival.
“The movement of over 8,000 people on a single weekend for the St. Kitts Music Festival underscores the oneness of our people and the tremendous support given by Nevisians to events in St. Kitts and vice versa. We look forward to welcoming our brothers and sisters from St. Kitts to attend our Mango Festival this weekend and of course to join us for Culturama this year which promises to be the best ever,” he said.
The three-day festival, which returned after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ran from June 23 to 25, 2022. On Thursday, June 23, NASPA reported that 1,529 persons used the Charlestown Ferry Terminal and the Oualie Water Taxi Pier; on Friday, June 24, 2,143 persons moved through the ports; on Saturday, June 25, 2,574 persons passed through the facilities; and on Sunday, June 26, 1,843.
The Premier noted the contribution of Nevis to the success of the St. Kitts Music Festival and the importance of the economic spinoff for both islands as the Federation recovers from the pitfalls of the pandemic. He also highlighted the “tremendous value in investing in the Water Taxi Pier in Oualie” as locals and visitors were able to travel seamlessly back and forth over the weekend, allowing ferry operators to capitalize on the additional traffic.
The next major event for the Federation is the highly anticipated return of Nevis’ Culturama Festival, dubbed “De Caribbean’s Greatest Summer Lime!” Culturama 48 activities will take place from July 21 to August 2, 2022.