While this year’s Rupununi Music and Arts Festival has been postponed, organisers are bringing the festival experience to the city this weekend.
The festival was due to be held in February at the Manari Ranch, in Region Nine, but was postponed due to unforeseen circumstances.
According to one of the organisers, Gavin Mendonca, they were still hoping to host the event at Manari but more inconveniences arose, so to avoid cancelling the show, they have decided to host this weekend’s “GT Connection 2.”
He said they had hosted a similar event in 2017. With the success of the previous event, they were motivated to host the festival in Georgetown, so coast landers can “experience a taste of what the festival has to offer.”
The event will be held at the Theatre Guild, on Parade Street, Friday, November 22nd and Saturday, November 23rd
A press release issued by the organisers noted that art and craft will be displayed at the venue, which will be filled with art and craft, food, music, dance, spoken work and comedy.
According to the release, Festival Director Dr. Bob Ramdhanie, MBE, said, including Georgetown in the festival’s programming has been “integral” to the event’s strategic plan since the inception and so this weekend’s event is expected to be the second of many that will staged in Georgetown in the coming years.
In addition, the events held in Georgetown will be showing what people can expect if they decide to attend the planned November, 2020 festival in the Rupununi.
A number of international, regional and local acts are expected to perform, including Maya (Folk/Jazz – Suriname), Semi (Reggae – St. Lucia), Iryna & Rob (Folk – Ukraine/UK), David Frank (Violinist – Trinidad), Kaiso Kairi (Old Time Calypso – Trinidad), Vanilla, Young Bill Rogers, Calibro Band, Mighty Pakuri, Herbie Marshall, Josie, Ras Camo, Trevaun Selman, Chow Pow, Jazz and Poetry Ona Stool, Pakuri Cultural Group and Gavin and Chucky. Mendonca will also be launching his new album, “Folk It Up Vol 1,” at the event.
On Friday evening, the musical acts will be performing, and on Saturday, a number of interactive workshops, including a Master Class in Jazz Guitar by Marshall, will be held. The workshops will begin after lunch.
Also planned is an interactive Talk Tent, where attendees will have the opportunity to interact with the artistes, and a Star Watching Party that will be hosted by the Amateur Astronomer’s Association.
Day passes for the Festival cost $3,000 and a weekend pass costs $5,000. Tickets are available at Zoon locations (Middle Street and Giftland Mall), Howard’s Restaurant in Eccles and at MovieTowne. Reservations can be made through telephone numbers 629-4535 and 626-9014. Children under 12 will be admitted free of charge.
