datebook
If you’re in . . . Jamaica
Trinidad
Kingston on the Edge
Carib Great Crate Race
17 to 26 June kingstonontheedge.org
18 June facebook.com/TheGreatCrateRace
Culture lovers: imagine everywhere you turn there’s something artistic going on: dance, poetry slams, art exhibitions, theatre productions, performance art . . . Is your heart racing yet? Jamaica may be the place for you in June, as the Kingston on the Edge (KOTE) urban arts festival unfolds in over twenty events throughout the capital city — from the hills to the harbour, from bars to a synagogue.
In the six years since its inception, the popularity of the the Carib Great Crate Race has only increased exponentially. There’s nothing Trinis like more than sports and cooler fetes, and this event manages to combine the two in unique style. Six-person teams are invited each to build a floating “crate,” which they then race around an offshore course. There are two classes of “crate” — “professional” and “homemade” — and the class is decided by judges, based on the speed they’re capable of achieving. Competition this year looks to be fierce, with a prize of TT$10,000 for first place in the “professional” class and TT$4,000 in the “homemade” class. Of course, the race is just an excuse to have an epic party afterwards. This year’s race will be held at the Chaquacabana Beach resort in Chaguaramas, north-west Trinidad, on 18 June. Bajans, don’t feel left out: the organisers of the Trinidad event will also host the first Great Crate Race in Barbados one week before, on 11 June, at the Boathouse.
Started in 2007 by five friends, KOTE over the years has exhibited the work of more than 450 artistes from around the world. An integral concept of the festival is that performers are encouraged to push the boundaries of their medium and the spaces in which the art is performed and exhibited, while interacting with the general public. The idea, according to the organisers, is that “this environment motivates and inspires the artist to experiment with their craft, often leading to the birth of new and exciting movements in the local scene.” And with many different media coming together, who knows what new and fantastic art movement might be birthed right before your very eyes. It’s a great opportunity for both artistes and onlookers alike to make “Connections” — the theme of this year’s KOTE. 22
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courtesy the great crate race
©iStock/Peeter Viisimaa
Event previews by Mirissa De Four and Caribbean Beat staff