Patrons attending this year's staging of the eight annual Laventille Steelband Festival (LSF) Parade are promised a more compact programme, following the organizer's decision to reduce the length of the parade route.  Julien Cudjoe, deputy chairman of the LSF Foundation said: "The parade will now start from Pashley Street instead of Mc Allister Street, Laventille. The route has been shortened by one block. Bands will start the parade on a leveled surface along the Eastern Main Road and end at Leon Street as usual."  He said steelband representatives complained about an incline that exists between these streets, which make it difficult to roll their pan racks. "That problem has now been addressed," Cudjoe declared.  Thirty-nine of the world's finest conventional and single pan bands are listed to appear at the Festival, with the theme Proud to Be.III, on Sunday,  August 5.

Showtime is 3pm for the cultural event being held under the patronage of His Excellency President George Maxwell Richards.

Participating bands include reigning National Panorama champion Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars, Witco Desperadoes, Sagicor Exodus, Courts Sound Specialists of Laventille, Harlem Syncopators, Angostura Woodbrook Playboyz and Laventille Serenaders.

The event is free to the public.
The pan presentation represents Laventille's contribution to the observance of Emancipation in T&T. Before, the actual parade, however, there will be a re-enactment of the Emancipation story. Citing that the parade has become the biggest single steelband event outside of Carnival, Cudjoe heaped praise on the people of Laventille for contributing to its success.

"The co-oporation we have and continue to receive from residents to make the parade free of DJ music is quite an achievement. We have observed that other pan parades are being reduced to electronic music. When steelbands are invited to perform, it's disturbing to have them compete with a DJ. Pure pan music is our way of observing Emancipation and celebrating the drum."  The Foundation official describes the Festival as a family event, which features the best steelbands in the world, in a safe environment.