Great Fete Weekend creating buzz in Tobago

After a two-year hiatus owing to the covid19 pandemic, Great Fete Weekend is promising vibes and energy.

The event, which starts on Wednesday, is labelled the “longest weekend in the world” and promises a six-day “rebirth” from July 27-August 1.

Great Fete Weekend celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019.

Great Fete Weekend PRO Adanna Asson said that there is a buzz this year that is “amazing thus far.

"Generally, we see that people are very excited that the event is on and happening again and people are excited to just be outside again and party with their friends.”

She said the weekend is heavily subscribed, "and we expect that to increase in the coming days.”

The “rebirth” begins on July 27 with Welcome Wednesday at Canoe Bay and continues on Reggae Thursday at the Buccoo Integrated Facility, featuring Isasha, Prophet Benjamin, Kabasi, Stephanie Joseph, Xavier Edwardz and Ziggy Ranking, among others.

On Friday, it continues with the Soca Glow, featuring Adana, Ding Dong, Farmer Nappy, Nessy Preppy, Lyrical and Nailah Blackman at the Pigeon Point Heritage Park. Soca Glow is dedicated to soca singer Blaxx (Dexter Stewart), who died of covid19 in March.

“We’re recognising Blaxx for the contribution he has made to the genre. He has been a part of Great Fete Weekend, so we are going to have something nice for him in commemoration of his life,” Asson said.

Soca acts will be backed by the A Team band.

On Saturday, We Fete will feature a number of Jamaican dancehall stars, including Skillibeng, Skeng and Spice. They will be joined by local acts Yung Bredda, Toppy Boss, Jahllano and Teejah.

In June, Skeng was banned by Guyana from performing at public events in the country, after gunshots were allegedly fired in the crowd during his set at the Baderation concert in Georgetown. Guyana Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn later said, “We will not sign off on any such artiste or any artiste who has a record of promoting vulgar and lawless behaviour.”

On Sunday, Great Fete Weekend action shifts to the Callaloo, which is free to the public. It will feature a J’Ouvert procession complete with a big truck into Pigeon Point, where the partying continues, and Cool Down on August 1, with added attractions from the motor sport industry ending the weekend’s events.

Whether patrons chose to attend the entire calendar of events or just a few, Asson said Great Fete has something for everyone.

“Everybody has their favourites depending on what they’re into. There are people who love reggae or gravitate more towards reggae. They are people who love soca...Then there are the people who are heavily into dancehall and Trinibad zess: those are the people who would be very excited about Saturday.

"We know that the anticipation is building, and that people would continue being excited as the days progress.”