Plenty Bajan activities in GTA this Autumn!

It's almost officially autumn and the weather continues to be nice this September in the Greater Toronto Area! Earlier this week I came back to Toronto from a very enjoyable Crop Over Festival and Carifesta 13 in Barbados. The Canadian contingent of Roger Gibbs, Macomere Fifi, Susan G., Moses Lewis, Judith Lezama, Rhoma Spencer, Michael Lashley, and at least thirty other artists represented well on the concert stage at the Esplanade on Bay Street in the parish of St. Michael and on stage during the Marketplace at the Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre during Carifesta! Alexandra and I especially liked the signal dance event at Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium where some of the most outstanding pieces were performed by excellent dancers from St. Lucia, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Belize, and Barbados!
Now I am looking forward to attending the 10th Annual Errol Barrow Memorial Dinner in Toronto on September 23rd where Prime Minister Freundel Stuart is the guest speaker, and Barbados Day in Ottawa the next day which will feature Allison Hinds, Red Plastic Bag, Lil Rick, Marvay, Susan G, Nikita,Rum and Koke,Elan Trotman, top chef Creig Greenidge, and mixologists Philip Antoine and Trevor Burnett, investment and tourist information,among other activities!
On October 14th I will be producing Laugh Fuh Days featuring two of the hottest young comedians of the Caribbean Chrispen Hackett and Simon Alleyne, better known as Rum and Koke! In the newly refurbished 600 seat De La Salle College Auditorium at 131 Farnham Avenue in Toronto it will be belly bursting laughter with this dynamic duo from Barbados! Roger Gibbs will be playing his guitar and singing some hilarious calypsoes and folk songs too. The flyer,with more information, will be available shortly.
In the meantime enjoy this beautiful warm weather,.... and donate what you can to the victims of Irma in Barbuda through the efforts of the Antigua and Barbuda Consulate on St. Clair Ave, and Tropicana Community Services in Scarborough. Also,here are some songs that you, family, and friends can enjoy. Peace out!

AW's BARBADOS 2017 CROP OVER FESTIVAL TOP TUNES!
1. BOATRIDE - RED PLASTIC BAG

2. PARADISE - TC & BUGGY NKENTE

3. BLESSING/ENERGY - LIL RICK

4. GIVE IT TO YUH - MARZVILLE

5. TAX-HE/BEGGAR/WINNERS CIRCLE - EDWIN

6. COLLATERAL - SHAQUILLE

7. ANTIDOTE - MARVAY

8. PICK ME UP - SANCTUARY

9. DE TWO OF WE - GRYNNER & RAS ILEY

10. ADVANTAGE OF ME - LIL RICK

11. SPLIT IN DE MIDDLE - FREEZY

12. ALL KINDA GIRLS/WAIT TILL TONITE - LIL RICK

13. LOVAH/SALESMAN/UP - I WEB

14. CARRY FESTIVAL/SAME WAY- NIKITA

15. INCREDIBLE GIRL - KIRK BROWN

16. REHAB - BIGGIE IRIE

17. SINGLE(ANSWER BACK)/HIGH - ALISON HINDS

18. UPSIDE DOWN - PETER RAM

19. DIP - HYPASOUNDS

20. RIGHT HERE- MR. DALE

21. SOCA MADE ME DO IT - KING BUBBA & LIL RICK

22. WOOD - SCRILLA

It's Spring! It's Festival time!

I just got back to Toronto from Barbados a few days ago and it was feeling rather cold! You are probably saying what does he expect when he is coming from thirty to ten degrees Celcius!Ah but it's warmer this week and will be hotter in more ways than one as Victoria Day weekend approaches. Actually, in about ten days it will be the very hot and sweet BARBADOS ON THE WATER FESTIVAL at Harbourfront Centre, downtown Toronto! From 6 p.m on Friday, May 26th until 7 p.m. on Sunday 28th you will experience Barbadian culture at its best! Outstanding musicians, thespians, artists, fashion, and tasty dishes will be features that you will not want to miss. Two very special presentations will be Laff It Off with Rum and Koke as the opening act, and Barrow: Freedom Fighter; the first two shows being some of the very best live comedy fresh from Barbados, and Barrow: Freedom Fighter a well-produced and acted docu-drama about the first Prime Minister of Barbados filmed in Barbados! Also, in concert there will be top notch performers Red Plastic Bag, Edwin, Arturo Tappin, Rupee, Mighty Grynner, Biggie Irie, Lil' Rick, Peter Ram, Marvay, King Bubba, Kellie Cadogan, Eddie and Quincy Bullen, Two Mile Hill Band, Gibbs Brothers, Susan G., Sonia Collymore, among others. Excellent chefs Craig Greenidge and Chris De La Rosa, and mixologist Philip Antoine will be giving demonstrations that will satisfy your taste buds! Please see full schedule below or check Harbourfrontcentre.com as Barbados salutes Canada's 150th Anniversary this month!