DESPITE THE PULL-OUT of a few bands from Grand Kadooment, the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) remains upbeat that this year’s festival will still be “sweet fuh days”.
NCF chief executive officer Cranston Browne said the August 7 event would be the biggest in about 15 years.
During the official launch of the Republic Bank Grand Kadooment yesterday, Browne said bands pulling out was nothing new as some did so due to finances or other circumstances.
On the other hand , he noted that within the last three years, there has been an increase in the number of bands and revellers on the road.
“There is a lot of discussion surrounding bands leaving the festival and its impact on this Republic Bank Grand Kadooment product. Well, let me furnish you with the facts.
“In an analysis of the registrations from 2014 to 2017, we have seen an increase in the number of bands, with a slight increase year on year from 24 to 33. This is also equated to an approximate 43 per cent increase in revellers over the same period, moving from 9 470 to 13 545.”
He said that this year’s registration was the highest recorded “perhaps in the last 15 years, and if you did an in-depth analysis of the history of these bands, some dating back to over 35 years, yet we still have new ones entering the fray from year to year”.
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