Tonight is the start of the much- anticipated and highly acclaimed Bequia Mount Gay Musicfest 2020. The excitement is real, as Bequia gears up for one of the most important events in the annual tourism calendar of “the little island that rocks”. The Bequia Tourism Association’s live entertainment Festival kicks off its five-day long annual event, running from January 29th to February 2nd. With 130 musicans from SVG, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, Martinique, Trinidad & Tobago, St. Marten, the UK and Canada performing in six events in five days, the festival has grown into one of the region’s premier music festivals, patronized by music lovers from all over the region and the world, who pack the island of Bequia for five fabulous days of world class, live entertainment. International Brand Mount Gay Rum/Remy Cointreau is the title sponsor of the festival for the past seventeen years!
Original and unique World Beat Soca vocalist Olatunji out of Trinidad headlines the Saturday Fete Night at De Reef in Lower Bay, as well as the veteran and legendary Jamesy P, Chewalee and Barbados’ Hypasounds backed by our own K-netik. Jazz great Boo Hinkson out of St. Lucia headlines the Jazz and Candlelight Dinner and concert event, which opens the Festival on Wednesday January 29th. Soulful Jazz Vocalist Kellie Cadogan is also featured to perform on opening night.
Musicfest 2020 has a large Vincentian contingent this year with internationally acclaimed violinist Darron Andrews and DaBand also playing on opening night, the original pan boss, a musicfest favourite, Rodney Small and the RS Band playing Friday night at the Bequia Plantation Hotel and some of Vincy’s best soca artistes performing at Soca Sunday at De Reef on Sunday February 2nd: Fonando, Dymez and DaPixel, Lpank, Keith Currency, Sita, Caspa G, Magikal, LPank, and Bequia’s talented young pan side the Kids on Pan. Canada’s Shuffle Demons funk band will bring their high-energy performance to the Friday Nite Live at the Plantation, as well as popular Barbados band Kevan Sahai and the Crashers rock and roll band, who headline that night. Saturday Afternoon’s “Live Music Under the Palms” at the beautiful Plantation Hotel will see Martinique Creole band, GBK headline, along with the Bequia Blues Band, guitarist Joshu from Antigua and UK Jazz singer Zeeteah Massiah, as well as SVG’s vocalist Sarah Mark.
Thursday night is a free event and takes place at the Frangipani Hotel with the 14-piece Elite Steel Orchestra, Elite Steel Band, followed by DJ Addicted. International DJ “Outkast” from St. Marten makes his Bequia debut, holding the fort and bringing down the house for the Soca Sunday event!
Festival Director and Chairperson of the Bequia Tourism Association Sabrina Mitchell has indicated that the Musicfest committee of volunteers is ready to go and all plans are in place for an “awesome and enjoyable week, showcasing the highest standard of hospitality to our locals and visitors, bringing music to suit all tastes”. She expressed her thanks to the sponsors and partner restaurants and the many volunteers who execute the event every year!
Other major Musicfest sponsors are the SVG Tourism Authority, Digicel, the Grenadines Partnership Fund, Frangipani Hotel, Bequia Plantation Hotel, De Reef, Hairoun Beer, Outhouse Graphics, Compass Publishing, Masterroom Music, CRS Music, Bequia Express Company and Admiral Ferries. Partner restaurants supporting the festival and feeding the 130 musicans over the six days are the Frangipani Hotel, De Reef, Lauras Resto, Gingerbread Cafe, Dawns Lower Bay, Port Hole Restaurant, Tantie Pearls Restaurant, Sailors Café and Mac’s Pizza and Kitchen.
Tickets for all shows are on sale in Bequia at the BTA office or at the gate.
Friday and Saturday night ticket prices are EC$85 for advance and $90 at the door, and Tickets for Sunday afternoon are EC$50. Saturday afternoon at the Bequia Plantation is $30 for adults and $15 for kids fewer than 12; children under 5 are free. Wednesday Dinner and Concert is $195 or concert only at $90, however this event is now sold out. Thursday is Free.
Show times: Wednesday January 29th, 6:30Pm, Thursday Jan 30th 9pm; Friday January 31st, 8pm; Saturday Feb 1st afternoon: 1pm; Saturday Feb 1st night: 9pm and Sunday afternoon Feb 2nd at 2:30pm.
For more information visit www.bequiamusicfestival.com and www.facebook.com/bequiamusicfest or call the Bequia Tourism Office 458-3286