ST LUCIA
Prepare to jam
The 22nd edition of the St Lucia Jazz Festival brings a revamp: it’s now the St Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival. Headquartered on historic Pigeon Island, an islet off Rodney Bay, the line-up features some of the best international and local artistes in jazz and other musical genres. This year, that includes R. Kelly, David Rudder, the O’Jays, Tito Puente, Jr., and home-grown talents Ronald “Boo” Hinkson, 4th World, and Blaise Pascal — and that’s just the beginning. Over fifty musicians and artists, many of them world-acclaimed, will round out the bill. One thing’s for sure: the 2013 programme will cement St Lucia’s reputation as the premiere jazz festival of the Caribbean.
When: 30 April to 12 May
Where: Pigeon Island and other venues around St Lucia
For more info: visit www.stluciajazz.org
JAMAICA
Get ready to glam
Ever watched Sex in the City and salivated at the fashion, the styling, the makeup, the shoes? Then you should really hop on a plane and get yourself to Jamaica for Caribbean Fashion Week. But Romae Gordon, the event’s fashion director, says when CFW takes to the runway in June, there will be much more than entertainment on offer — buyers, industry workshops, business forums, and marketing opportunities will fill the programme, as CFW continues to push Caribbean fashion forward. The actual runway presentations take place from 7 to 9 June, and you’ll get to see Caribbean designers flaunt their creativity on the bodies of the world’s top black supermodels. With over fifty designers, three runway shows each night, six concert performances, and one-hundred-plus models, no real Caribbean fashionista can afford to stay away.
When: 6 to 10 June
Where: National Indoor Sports Centre, Kingston
For more info: visit www.caribbeanfashionweek.com
ST BARTHELEMY
Tread the boards
In the Caribbean you often hear about music and film festivals, but the tiny francophone island of St Barths has something different: the Theatre Festival of St Barthélemy. Organised by SB Artists, a local theatre group, the twelfth edition of the festival features actors and productions that have been a huge success in Paris, according to artistic director Nadège Emmanuelian. Theatregoers will have an opportunity to see Ron Hutchinson’s Hollywood, with Samuel Le Bihan, Thierry Frémont, Pierre Cassignard, and Françoise Pinkwasser; Cédric Chapuis’s 23F-Côté Hublot, with Mira Simova; L’heure d’après, by and with Olivier Soler; and Une vie sur mesure, by and with Cédric Chapuis.
When: 16 to 25 May
Where: the Salle de Spectacle, Gustavia
For more info: email sbartists.saintbarth@gmail.com
THE BAHAMAS
Islands of the World Fashion Showcase
When: 3 to 5 May
Where: venues around Nassau
What: A biennial event, this fifth edition of the showcase will celebrate the Bahamas’s fortieth anniversary of Independence, with Bahamian designers Harl Taylor BAG, House of Raphelita, and Theodore Elyett.
For more info: visit www.islandsfashionweek.com or email info@islandsfashionweek.com
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
Antigua and Barbuda Sports Fishing Tournament
When: 17 to 19 May
Where: Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbour
What: Anglers have two choices: participate in this catch-and-release fishing tournament, or register for the Antigua and Barbuda Marlin Classic on May 17
For more info: visit www.antiguabarbudasportfishing.com
ARUBA
Soul Beach Music Festival
When: 22 to 27 May
Where: locations around Aruba
What: Hunting for a Memorial Day weekend to remember? Head over to Aruba to hear the smooth voices of Ne-Yo and D’Angelo, as they perform alongside Elle Varner, Tamia, Sinbad, and Damon Williams.
For more info: visit www.soulbeach.net or www.facebook.com/soulbeachmusic
BARBADOS
Celtic Festival Barbados
When: 23 to 29 May
Where: locations around Barbados
What: Yes, you heard that right. Barbados has a rich Celtic legacy, due to the number of Scottish, Irish, and Welsh indentured servants that journeyed to the island during colonial times. And during this festival you can experience their music, dance, and food, which remain a part of Barbadian history.
For more info: visit www.celticfestivalbarbados.com
Tack hard
If you’re not up for fashion or theatre but want some vigourous outdoor activity instead, the 28th Mount Gay Rum Barbados Regatta could be the ticket. Not to be confused with the Mount Gay Rum Round Barbados Race, the regatta is co-ordinated by the Barbados Sailing Association, and sets sail from Carlisle Bay, just south of Bridgetown. Last year thirty-six boats competed, with sailors coming from around the Caribbean, and as far away as Britain and the US. There are two races per day, and the winner is the person with the least number of points. And for those uninterested in the adrenaline rush to be had matching wits with the capricious sea, don’t forget the parties after the boats come in.
When: 16 to 19 May
Where: Carlisle Bay
For more info: visit www.sailbarbados.com
ST MARTIN
11th St Martin Book Fair
When: 30 May to 1 June
Where: venues around Dutch Sint Maarten and French St Martin
What: After the success of last year’s festival, the book fair’s organisers continue to look for ways to encourage a love of reading, while introducing readers to new genres and writers.
For more info: visit www.houseofnehesipublish.com or email Shujah Reiph at consciouslyrics@yahoo.com