Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Thirteen steel orchestras will participate in this year’s edition of the SteelFesTT (Steelpan Festival of Trinidad & Tobago) Float Parade through the streets of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. The event had its genesis last year in commemoration of the country’s Golden Anniversary of Independence and the Diamond Jubilee of the development of the steelpan.
Scheduled to take place on Sunday 29th September 2013 at 3:00 p.m., the parade culminates with the bands performing Barry Mannette’s arrangement of “God Bless Our Nation” in front of the Grand Stand at the Queen’s Park Savannah.
The SteelFesTT Savannah Parade will feature Small Conventional and Single Pan Bands in the main area along with a few Medium Conventional Bands under the theme “Birds of Trinidad & Tobago” - designed by UWI (University of the West Indies) Creative Arts Centre students and painted by each of the participating steelbands.
The thirteen orchestras are: Musical Gems, Humming Birds Pan Groove, Laventille Serenaders, City Sun Valley Pan Groove, Tokyo Steel Orchestra, Curepe Scherzando, Sforzata, Melodians, Curepe Polyphonics, Claytones, Tornadoes, San City Steel Symphony and Southern Marines Steelband Foundation.
The motorized parade starts in front of Pan Trinbago’s Head Office in Port-of-Spain opposite Victoria Square, where each of the bands will play a three-minute selection, before proceeding east along Park Street, then left on Charlotte Street, north of Memorial Park and into the Queen’s Park Savannah. The bands will then perform with the National Song. This Parade was originally scheduled for Sunday 22nd September but was postponed due to a lack of funds. This year’s edition is sponsored in part by the Office of the Prime Minister, Sport & Culture Fund.
The SteelFesTT Savannah Float Parade is Pan Trinbago’s gift to the nation on the occasion of the 37th Anniversary of Trinidad & Tobago attaining Republic status. The event aims to secure the country’s cultural heritage by establishing Trinidad & Tobago as the global focal point for the steelpan.
The parade of floats through the streets was one of the features of SteelfesTT 2012 which was initiated during the 50th Anniversary of Independence celebrations and featured steel orchestras on decorated floats around the Queen’s Park Savannah.
From the News Desk of Pan Trinbago
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