BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – SOME persons got their sweat on very early today, (September 17), and it was not via jogging but jamming through the streets for the Newtown Community Festival’s ‘Community Unity Sweat’.
The ‘Community Unity Sweat’ is a part of the annual festival which was scheduled to begin at 6:00 a.m. but did not get on its way until sometime around 8:00 a.m.
At the beginning a handful of persons walked behind the trailer of Magic Fingers Ronnie Rascal but by the time the tractor made its way half way up Fort Street, coming from New Town, numbers surged from about 20 persons to the hundreds.
The folks were not particularly jamming but enjoying the cool local music being played and perhaps, the socializing.
The ‘jam’ seemed to whet many persons' appetite for the big one in December as they commented that they could not wait for National Carnival’s J’Ouvert Jam.
Along with the popular tunes that were blazing - recorded by Nu Vybes, Small Axe and the Grand Masters Band - another foreign but popular tune ‘Kick een she back door’ by Onyon of Antigua was playing and had persons doing the action and kicking up in the air.
The jam which began at the Playing Field climaxed at about 10:30 a.m. at the Fisheries Complex and by then the sun was blazing.
In true Ronnie Rascal style, a Fire Truck and hose was supposed to be there to cool the people off from such a hot jam but none showed up and persons slowly made their way home.
The Newtown Community Festival was revived last year after a seven-year hiatus and committee organizers are adamant about keeping it alive and running for many years to come.
This coming Wednesday, September 19 (Independence Day) there will be a ‘3 on 3 basketball’ competition and ‘football grudge’ match as well as a community food fair at the Newtown Playing Field.
On September 21, five beautiful and talented ladies will be vying for the Miss Newtown Crown under the theme ‘Jungle Fantasy’ while the Street Parade and Night Fair will be held on the following day September 22.
The Festival will end with the LIME Aquatics and Street Sports & Family Picnic that will be held on Sunday, September 23 at the Newtown Boulevard.
