Hundreds of people were invited to take advantage of the opportunity for a Crop Over “last lap” at Ilaro Court Thursday night, and they refused to let rain stop the party.
The annual Prime Minister’s Crop Over Reception went ahead despite waterlogged lawns resulting from downpours, as the large crowd, including diplomats and Barbadians from the diaspora here for the biennial Barbados Network Consultation Conference, enjoyed the last blast of Crop Over 2014.
Welcoming guests, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart commended the festival’s organisers for their “hindsight, insight and foresight” in “the impressive execution” of what he said was a successful festival.
He was satisfied that all 40 events were “well patronised”.
Between savouring the variety of food served under large tents erected around the grounds, guests occasionally rushed up front to catch performances by the winners in this year’s Crop Over music competitions, in an entertainment programme representing the best of the festival.
On stage were junior and senior monarchs and people there clamoured for their performances. Guests danced with wild abandon to Sweet Soca Monarch Biggie Irie’s Pankatang and Party Monarch Gorg’s Meh Rum.
Calypso king Ian Webster was on a roll, performing hit selections such as Doin’ Me from the Sweet Soca competition and his winning calypsos, The Karaoke Song and Still My Home. He even briefly donned an Afro wig for a hilarious session of picong.
Wearing his trademark red on stage, Red Plastic Bag took fans on his Roller Coaster through the puddles of water on the lawn as they waved red, white and whatever other could find, in the air all the while singing along with Bag.
Both Porgie and Murda (Leadpipe and Saddis), the inimitable duo, were in fine nick, their energy radiating from stage to the grounds, sending dancers in frenzy. Junior Monarch from the 13-18 age group Sammy G kept pace with them all.
Long after the National Anthem had been played signalling the end of the two-hour party, people were still seen lingering as if wanting to wring the last drop out of this year’s Crop Over Festival.
