RBC contributes $44K to Crop Over as festival fever hits City branch

RBC Royal Bank (Barbados) has injected $44 000 into this year’s Crop Over Festival, deepening its cultural investment while staging a high-energy activation in Bridgetown that brought the sights and sounds of the island’s premier celebration directly to the public.

The donation was presented on Friday during a lively activation at the bank’s Broad Street branch, where customers and staff were treated to live music, performances and the vibrant energy synonymous with Crop Over.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, RBC Barbados managing director Shimon McIntosh said the bank’s contribution forms part of its role as an associate sponsor of the festival.

“RBC Barbados is an associate sponsor of Crop Over, so the National Cultural Foundation has brought the Crop Over energy to our main branch in the city of Bridgetown,” he said. “We’re going to have a little activation around Crop Over today for our staff and for our clients especially.”

McIntosh said while RBC has long supported community initiatives, the bank wanted to deepen its investment in Barbadian culture.

“We have always been supporting our communities, but we wanted to get more involved in culture,” he said. “When you think about cultural events, obviously Crop Over is top of mind. It’s something that our staff have been asking for – to get back involved in cultural events, specifically Crop Over.”

He noted that the bank first partnered with the NCF last year and has renewed that relationship for the 2026 festival.

“As part of our associate sponsorship of Crop Over, there’s going to be a contribution of $44 000,” McIntosh added.

Chief cultural officer at the National Cultural Foundation, Andrea Wells, welcomed RBC’s continued investment, saying corporate partnerships are essential to the success of Barbados’ largest national festival.

“I think it brings further support and endorsement of this major national festival,” Wells said.

She noted that Crop Over’s influence extends far beyond entertainment, generating significant economic activity while providing opportunities for the island’s creative sector.

“It does wonderful work and impacts incredibly on our economy, and it really engages a lot of our creative energies,” she said. “So RBC’s support for the festival is a support for culture and support for the creative activities of our cultural workforce.”

For the 2026 Crop Over season, RBC Barbados sponsors Party Monarch, Grand Kadooment, Bridgetown Market, Fusions and Pic-O-De-Crop.

(SB)