St. Kitts Prepares to stage Festival from 23rd to 25th June, 2011

BASSETERRE (24th January, 2011): Now in its 15th consecutive year, the 2011 St. Kitts Music Festival will be held from the 23rd to the 25th June, 2011.

Those dates were confirmed recently when the Management Committee of the Festival met in its first planning meeting in preparation for this year’s Festival, which is expected to again attract significant international attention.

The meeting was attended by Senator Ricky Skerritt, the Minister of Tourism and International Transport, who urged committee members and volunteers to take pride in being the organizers of a unique entertainment-based event that has become a major event on the Caribbean’s music calendar.

“Our goal is to set high standards of excellence and to be innovative in our planning, as we seek to improve the enjoyment and overall Festival experience for locals and visitors alike,” Minister Skerritt said. “The recent economic environment has brought with it very difficult financial challenges, but we have determined that the economic value and music traditions of the St Kitts Music Festival far outweighs the cost involved, and so we will keep the event moving forward to achieve even greater success”, the Minister said.

The Festival features various musical styles on the popular market, including R&B, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Soca, Calypso, Gospel and Contemporary music.

Past artists have included such prominent acts as Babyface, John Legend, T-Pain, Michael Bolton, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Wyclef Jean, Ne-Yo, Air Supply, Dionne Warwick, Billy Ocean, Kenny Rogers, Boyz II Men, King Konris, Stephen Marley, Regina Belle, Maxi Priest, and Lord Nelson.