Night of creative brilliance at Crop Over awards

Barbados’ cultural heartbeat pulsed vibrantly at the Pelican Lifestyle Centre on Thursday evening as artists, musicians and designers gathered for a glittering celebration of the Crop Over Awards ceremony.

The event, hosted by the National Cultural Foundation (NCF), honoured the talents that keep the “Sweetest Summer Festival” a cherished national tradition.

Among those in attendance were Chief Cultural Officer Andrea Wells, NCF Chair Jasmine Babb, Deputy Chairman Sheldon Hope, and representatives from Affinity Plus Credit Union, UNICEF, Sunshine Snacks, Flow Barbados and the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust.

In her welcome, Wells applauded the island’s creative community for their resilience and innovation: “While the NCF is tasked with administering the festival, it is you, the creatives, who make Crop Over the high point on our cultural calendar. It is your creation of music, art, costumes and the multitude of activities that generates the energy and business that impacts our economy in multiple ways from May to August every year.”

Wells also highlighted the festival’s growing influence: “It is this value of productivity, wealth generation and all good vibes that has instilled Crop Over as the jewel in our suite of festivals.”

The night’s first set of honours, the Pic-O-De-Crop Speciality Awards, celebrated the accomplishments of the island’s top songwriters and performers. Anderson Mr Blood Armstrong took the prize for Best Nation-Building Song, while Billboard Murrell was named Best Songwriter of the Festival. Osvaldo Leadpipe Reid received the Song of the Year award for Tek Charge. The UNICEF Anti-Violence Prize – Calypso Voices of Change went to Damario Foster for Voices of Change, while the UNICEF Anti-Violence Soca Prize was presented to Zarie B for Celebrating Life.

The next segment of the evening spotlighted the island’s youngest creatives in the Junior Kadooment Awards, which featured environmental messages and displays of craftsmanship from schools and community groups, with Pinelands Creative Workshop taking the majority of prizes. Special awards sponsored by Affinity Plus Credit Union were presented by Marketing Manager Valerie Hope.

In the Junior Kadooment Private Band Awards, creativity and craftsmanship took the spotlight, with the Historical Presentation and Fantasy and Folklore prizes going to Xante. The Environmental Award went to Betty West Productions, while the National Library Service took the Topical Presentation Award.

In the individual categories, Pinelands Creative Workshop and Roland Edwards Primary School emerged as dominant forces. The UNICEF Best Anti-Violence Message Award was captured by Wesley Hall Infant School for its presentation led by designer Lana Steele.

The final segment, the Grand Kadooment Awards, brought the night to an exuberant close as seasoned designers and bandleaders were honoured for their artistry and storytelling. In this category, the HIV/AIDS Award went to Betty West Productions. The Best Individual Male and Female Heritage awards went to Rashad Goring from Zenobia and Betty West Productions, respectively. Zenobia also captured the Large Band of the Year, while Betty West Productions took both the Best Presentation Heritage Award and Best Band on the Road.

The prize-giving ceremony concluded on a jubilant note with performances from steelpanist Hashim Durant, Mr Showman, Blood and Leadpipe.
(DT)