An Xperience with 25 soca artistes

Over 25 top soca artistes will assemble from as early as 3 am for the Xperience Fete on January 21 at the Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba.

From one of the top all-inclusive events held on San Fernando Hill in 2012, to becoming the largest fete in south Trinidad, with over 10,000 patrons in 2019, the Xperience event has become a staple on the Carnival fete calendar, a media release said.

After a sobering sit-down version was held last year at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA), the Xperience event team is back to pioneering and preparing to produce one of the most amazing events for Carnival 2023.

"The Lollabee Group is committed to providing 'xceptional' experiences for all our loyal patrons," said managing director, Sheldon Stephen in the release from Overtime Media.

"After focusing on delivering 'xceptional' stage, sound, screens and lighting solutions for our event promoter clients for many years, we decided to do our own event and revisit the Xperience concept in 2018 at the Brian Lara Stadium."

The result attracted around 7,000 soca-loving patrons and received widespread acclaim and fanfare throughout the media and the Carnival community, the release said.

Now in 2023, the Lollabee Group in association with Aaron Kallicharan and BH Entertainment will stage the Xperience Kingdom.

"We don't want to give away the surprises," Stephen said, "but let's just say we're going to have the biggest stage this Carnival as an exclamation point to an eye-opening and breathtaking full production Carnival 'xperience' that will enhance the performances of more than 25 of the top soca artistes and deliver the largest event in south Trinidad this Carnival thus far."

Some of the artistes expected to perform are Nailah Blackman, Destra Garcia, Nessa Preppy, Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez and Jadel Legere.

Remaining tight-lipped on the cosmetics and aesthetics, Stephen revealed, however, that the Xperience Fete proceeds have always been shared with worthy NGOs and this year's edition is no different in terms of giving back to those less fortunate.

"We are all blessed to be here today," he said, "and that's a fact after what the world has been through over the past few years. Now, whilst some of us can afford to come out and celebrate life, there are still many who are not in that position and are struggling to take good care of their children, themselves and even their pets. This year we have already done some research into which needs we can assist in filling and will focus especially on children and animals in terms of the organisations we intend to assist."

"This is how we grew up and how we live in South and an ideal which the people of Trinidad and Tobago should remember and cherish and teach to our young people if we want to reclaim those good old days and re-establish those good ways we often sing and dream and speak about..."

For more info: follow @xperiencefete on Instagram.