The big names to perform at VI Festival 2013 include, from left to right, Richie Spice, Baby Cham and Destra Garcia. Photo: Provided

Kes the Band will be performing at the Ira Oliver Festiville on August 2, 2013. Photo: Photo: Provided

Tony Rebel and Queen Ifrica will perform on August 2, 2013 at the Ira Oliver Skelton Festiville. Photo: Provided

Trinidad soca sensation Iwer George will also be performing for Virgin Islands Festival 2013. Photo: Provided

The Prince and Princess Pageant will be held at the Sir Rupert Briercliffe Hall on Sunday July 21, 2013 and will feature eight contestants. According to the coordinator of the pageant, Mrs Alvera Maduro-Caines, the interest for participation was overwhelming; however, the committee could only have accommodated eight contestants. Photo: VINO

Past President of the Rotary Club of Road Town, Mr Elvis Harrigan and President-Elect Mr Charles Crane at the press conference today, June 28, 2013. The Rotary Kiddies Fiesta will be at the Queen Elizabeth II Park from 10:30 A.M. on Saturday July, 27. Photo: VINO

The big names include reggae artistes Richie Spice, Tony Rebel, Queen Ifrica; dancehall entertainer Baby Cham and Trinidadian soca sensations Iwer George, Destra Garcia and Kes the Band.

The final line-up of artistes was announced at a press conference held at the Youth Affairs and Sports Conference Room today, June 28, 2013. The press conference was called by the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee (VIF&FC).

Richie Spice and Iwer George will headline the show at the Ira Oliver Skelton Festiville on Saturday August 3, 2013. They will be backed up by Etana, Explainer, Farmer Nappy, Lashings Dogs, who will open the show and VI Showtime, who will close the show.

Tony Rebel and Queen Ifrica will share a stage on Friday August 2, 2013 at the same venue. Razor Blades will have the honour of opening the show while Kes the Band will no doubt be shifting gears with their performance on that night as well. Showtime will also perform.

The Ira Oliver Skelton Festiville opens on Friday July 26, 2013 and closes on Monday August 5, 2013.

The local Calypso Competition, a free event, will be held on July 27 while the first ever Soca Monarch will be held on Wednesday July 31.

Carrot Bay Cultural Fiesta

Jamaican dancehall artiste Baby Cham leads the list of entertainers for the Carrot Bay Festivities. Baby Cham, along with Stylee Band, 17 Plus, Small Axe, VI Showtime and Carrot Bay’s very own Bumpy B Breezy will perform on Saturday August 10, 2013.

The Carrot Bay Cultural Fiesta actually opens on Thursday August 8, 2013 with the Benito Potter Fisherman’s Tournament. Prior to the opening ceremony there will be a torchlight procession with Candy Man. Serenaders, Showtime and Onyan and the Burning Flames will then put patrons in the party mood.

The traditional donkey races and roast pig will be held on Friday August 9, 2013. Performing on that day will be Destra, Planet VI aka Rock City, Monea and K’Are, Xtreme Band with Rudy, WCK and Prime Time aka Black Squad.

East End/Long Look Festival

The East End/Long Look Juliette Penn Festiville will take place on Monday August 5, 2013. Action on August 6, 2013 will come from soca artistes Lady Shaunell of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Benji of Dominica, Tera Kid of Grenada, Swappi of Trinidad and Alpha of St Lucia. The reggae segment will feature Eric Donaldson, Shine-1, Heritage and Macabee. Representing dancehall fans will be Aidonia.

The Rise and Shine Tramp in East End will be held on August 7, 2013 and will be led by Pumpa. Also on that Wednesday will be the road parade.

Prince and Princess Pageant- July 21

The Prince and Princess Pageant will be held at the Sir Rupert Briercliffe Hall on Sunday July 21, 2013 and will feature eight contestants. According to the coordinator of the pageant, Mrs Alvera Maduro-Caines, the interest for participation was overwhelming; however, the committee could only have accommodated eight contestants. She added that four applications are already in for next year’s event.

Prior to the pageant, there will be a fashion show on Friday and a workshop the following day for the contestants to be taught a number of skills that would serve to enhance their performance on pageant night.

The segments for the Prince and Princess Pageant would be Introduction, Culture Wear, Talent, Evening Wear and Cartoon Character Wear.

Maduro-Caines said the event usually gets a sold out crowd and would be expecting the same thing this year. Tickets cost $10 for children and $20 for adults.

Rotary Kiddies Fiesta- Saturday July 27

The Rotary Kiddies Fiesta will be held from 10:30 A.M. at the Queen Elizabeth II Park.

President-Elect of the Rotary Club of Road Town, Charles Crane said this year the parade, which is likely to start from the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park and end at the Queen Elizabeth II Park, will be judged by an independent panel of judges. Prizes would be given to Best Troupe, Best Routine and Best Majorette. Apart from that, sponsor Digicel would be giving a cell phone to each member of the winning troupe and a desk top computer to three of the schools sponsoring a team.

According to Past President of Rotary Club of Road Town, Mr Elvis Harrigan, the Queen Elizabeth Park was chosen as the venue for the Kiddies Fiesta this year since Rotary felt the event had outgrown the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park. “It is much safer and bigger,” Mr Harrigan said.

It was also emphasised that the parade was open to any youth groups and not just schools.

This year’s Festival will be celebrated under the theme “Looking back at 175 years of being fully free – Our Culture, Our Heritage and Virgin Islands History”. The slogan is “2013 Festival Virgin Islands Style – Celebrate Freedom with Territorial Pride”.

More details to follow.