Despite the intermittent showers, those who gathered at Wanstead Ridge Park last Friday night for this year’s Carolling On The Green still appeared to enjoy themselves.
Even with reduced numbers sheltering under umbrellas and tents, the performance of the Royal Barbados Police Force Band lifted the mood and livened up proceedings.
They even played in the rain, delivering a range of Christmas and popular soca tunes.
Under the direction of Drum Major Inspector David Codrington, they started with Red Plastic Bag’s Boat Ride and ended with Constable Tanya Maughn singing Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. She had earlier sang Do You Hear What I Hear.
Their set comprised a medley of festive songs inclusive of Deck The Halls, Hark The Herald Angels, Jolly Old St Nicholas and I Saw Three Ships. Sleigh Ride, Grynner’s Turn On the Speaker, The Greatest Gift of All, Sugar Rush, Cyaan Be Ovaah, Jingle Bells, Give Love on Christmas Day, Carolling, Carolling, Calypso Noel, Maizie and All Ah We were also performed. During the latter, there was a line dancing session led by host of the event, parliamentary representative for St James South Donville Inniss.
Junior members of the 25-year-old Dancin’ Africa took several people down memory lane with a dance depicting Christmas morning in Queen’s Park. Their costumes – with some wearing fancy hats and others the uniforms of the police band – added to the spectacle.
Later, the older dancers did a playful choreography to Ain’t Getting Nuttin’.
Violinist Joshua Holder treated the audience to Angels We Have Heard On High and Jingle Bells; sisters Melissa and Sarah Griffith did a beautiful liturgical dance; Ashe Augustine sweetly sang Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, before joining the dancers of the Haynesville Youth Club in performing to a number of seasonal musical favourites.
Also performing were the four-year-old inter-denominational gospel band Forever Faithful, Shelly Parris who gave a good rendition of O Holy Night, West Terrace Primary School Choir, the St James South Community Choir, Haynesville Youth Club Drummers and the Capricorn Line Dancers.
The banter by MCs Richard Kennedy, Paula Jackman and Tamara Arthur about Christmas traditions and plans about how they spend the day kept the interest up between acts.
In his remarks, Inniss thanked residents for their support during the year and those who contributed to the event, and wished everyone the best for the season. (GBM)
