While it might not have received the $1.5 million needed, the National Parang Association of Trinidad and Tobago (NPATT) is grateful for the show of support from corporate TT and the wider citizenry after its public appeal for funding.
Last month, the association made the appeal so it could host this year’s festival, and also outlined future plans for the body and genre.
Fresh from the successful Mi Parranda: The National Junior Parang Festival 2023 on November 18-19, its president Alicia Jaggasar said the body will now host its first-of-a-kind parang tent, at La Joya Sporting Complex, St Joseph.
The Parang Tent will have its first show this Thursday (November 23) at La Joya Sporting Complex, Eastern Main Road, St Joseph, from 8 pm. The other dates are December 7 and 17.
The final show, on December 17, will be on a Sunday and will start at 5 pm.
Each night will feature five parang bands and three soca parang artistes. Some of the secondary school bands that competed in last weekend's competition will be among the opening acts.
Last year's Instrumental Competition winners will also entertain the audience at Thursday's show. These will include the winners in the marac, box bass, cuatro, lead instrument (mandolin or flute) categories.
Initially troubled for funding, the association received help after its appeal.
[caption id="attachment_1046239" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The Malabar Rc Primary School parang band sings at the Mi Parranda: The National Junior Parang Festival, at Bishop Anstey High School, Port of Spain. on November 18. - Angelo Marcelle[/caption]
National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB), National Flour Mills (NFM), EPL Properties Ltd are among its sponsors, with the latter renting the complex at "minimal cost."
It was still awaiting word from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts. Jaggasar said the ministry always supports the association, but the final amount is yet to be identified.
Carib, Blue Waters and Arima mayor Balliram Maharaj are also among this year’s sponsors.
Maharaj has also committed himself to helping the association “engage some of the businessmen to ensure that the show comes off and we can pay for the show,” she said.
The association reformatted its plans to match the funding it received.
Initially, there were plans to go to different communities, but that cannot be done this year. Each community venue would have cost over $100,000, she said.
This led to the association deciding to host the tent, one of the plans discussed in the earlier press conference.
Jaggasar said the only festival venues the association was able to save were the Arima Velodrome and the Lewah in Point Fortin.
“We are partnering with St Anthony’s parish and we are doing the Lewah up there and also Sacred Heart RC in Buenos Ayres. We are coming together and they are helping us to produce the Lewah on January 6.”
Those are the two major community events, apart from a launch in Toco on October 14.
While funding might have been an issue this year, the association is
