Barbados’ annual iconic cultural celebration, the Crop Over festival, has received a major vote of confidence from local telecommunications leader Flow Barbados, which announced a more than 20 percent increase in its sponsorship investment for this year’s flagship event, the Flow 5G+ Grand Kadooment, during the official launch event Thursday at Pelican Village.
Speaking to assembled media at the launch, Desron Bynoe, vice-president and general manager of Flow Barbados, confirmed the firm’s third consecutive term as title sponsor of the island’s largest public cultural spectacle, with total sponsorship for the 2024 Crop Over season exceeding $300,000. The increased investment covers both official events organized by the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) and independent private events across the festival calendar.
In his remarks, Bynoe emphasized that the expanded commitment reflects Flow’s decades-long commitment to nurturing Barbados’ creative sector and cultural heritage. “For decades our company has supported Crop Over and the creative industry,” he stated, noting that the company also holds the official title of telecommunications partner for the full Crop Over festival. Sister brand Liberty Caribbean continues its role as associate sponsor for Fusion, a popular event that centers the innovation and artistic skill of local Barbadian creators. Bynoe also highlighted the integration of the firm’s latest infrastructure milestone into the event name, rebranding this year’s celebration as the Flow 5G+ Grand Kadooment to mark the rollout of the island’s fastest mobile connectivity launched the previous year.
During the launch, Liberty Caribbean CEO Inge Smidts formally presented a $160,000 cheque to the NCF to support event operations.
NCF chair Dr. Jasmine Babb framed Grand Kadooment as the cornerstone of Barbados’ annual cultural calendar, describing it as the cumulative culmination of months of collaborative work from thousands of creatives and stakeholders across the island. “Grand Kadooment is not only the penultimate event of this Crop Over season, but the grand expression of months of creativity, planning, craftsmanship and cultural energy,” Babb explained. “It is where masquerade bands, designers, musicians, dancers, revelers, vendors, service providers, and communities all come together to present Barbados at its most vibrant.”
Dr. Babb added that the event aligns directly with the NCF’s core mandate, which extends far beyond just organizing public events. For the foundation, the work of building platforms like Grand Kadooment is critical to preserving, promoting, and sustaining Barbadian national identity for future generations. “Our role is not only to produce events, but to create platforms that allow Barbadian culture to be seen, experienced, respected and sustained. Grand Kadooment does exactly that,” she said.
This year’s celebration carries extra cultural weight as Barbados marks the 60th anniversary of its independence, a milestone that deepens the meaning of the festival’s public display of heritage. “This year, as Barbados marks its 60th anniversary of independence, Grand Kadooment carries even greater meaning. It reminds us that our culture is one of the strongest expressions of who we are,” Dr. Babb noted. “The colour, movement, music and artistry on the road are not simply entertainment; they are part of our national identity and part of the story we continue to tell as a people.”