Following Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s announcement on February 26 that there will be a Crop Over Festival this year, the Ministry of Culture and the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) has revealed the details about the Government-staged events.For the most part, the festival has kept its marquee events, with only one major casualty being Junior Kadooment. However, the replacement will be school parades in which students get to masquerade in their school bubbles. According to the NCF’s Chief Cultural Officer Andrea Wells, the creativity and festivity will still be present as traditional Junior Kadooment band leaders and designers will be going into the schools and producing the costumes, with assistance from the students who are to benefit from the exercise.The opening of the festival on July 2 will go back to the traditional Ceremonial Delivery of the Last Canes at Portvale Sugar Factory. This event remains symbolic as it dates back to the early years and the reason for the festival. The other event of cultural importance is the Folk Concert which will be held on the Day of National Significance on July 26 at Golden Square Freedom Park.
