标签： Saint Lucia

One of Saint Lucia’s most anticipated annual youth cultural celebrations is about to kick off, with 59 educational institutions across the island stepping into the spotlight to compete in the National Schools Calypso and Soca Competition’s qualifying auditions.

Organizers have revealed the full breakdown of participating schools across categories and education levels. For the iconic Calypso genre, a total of 40 schools earned audition spots: 26 from the primary school sector and 14 secondary institutions. The high-energy Soca category draws 23 competing schools, made up of 14 primary schools and 9 secondary schools, all vying for a limited number of places in the grand finals.

The two-day audition process is scheduled to kick off on Monday, May 5, and wrap up on Tuesday, May 6. During this qualifying stage, each school’s performing group will take the stage to present their act before an expert panel of judges, who will evaluate performances to select which contenders advance to the final competition.

A diverse cross-section of primary schools from every corner of Saint Lucia will feature in the Calypso category, including well-known campuses like Fond Assau Primary, Vide Bouteille Primary, Les Etangs Combined, Canon Laurie Anglican Primary, and Ave Maria Girls Primary. For the primary school Soca division, participating institutions include Vide Bouteille Primary, Les Etangs Combined, Ciceron RC Combined, Gros Islet Primary, and Carmen Rene Memorial Primary, among others.

At the secondary education level, multiple top schools are set to compete across both genres. Sir Ira Simmons Secondary, St Joseph’s Convent, Babonneau Secondary, Choiseul Secondary, Ciceron Secondary, and St Mary’s College will field teams in both Calypso and Soca. Additional participating secondary schools include Entrepot Secondary and Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary, rounding out the roster of competing institutions.

Following the conclusion of auditions, all advancing finalists will gain access to specialized training workshops designed to help them hone their performances, refine their stage presence, and polish their acts ahead of the main competition.

The schedule for the final events splits competition by education level. The National Primary Schools Calypso and Soca Competition will kick off at 10:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, June 3, while the Secondary Schools Competition will follow two days later on Friday, June 5. Both the primary and secondary final competitions will be hosted at Saint Lucia’s iconic Mindoo Philip Park.

Ticketing information for the final events has already been released, with discounted pricing for student attendees set at 10 Eastern Caribbean dollars, and general admission tickets priced at 20 Eastern Caribbean dollars.

Organizers have urged all interested attendees and community members to keep up to date with any adjustments to event schedules, ticketing availability, and connected carnival-related activities by following official competition social media and communication channels. This annual event has long served as a key platform for nurturing young local musical talent and celebrating Saint Lucia’s rich calypso and soca cultural heritage, drawing large crowds of community supporters each year.

This year’s highly anticipated Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival will introduce a fresh, thought-provoking addition to its cultural programming: a satirical musical production titled *Repair*, set to take the stage at Castries’ Anchorage Car Park on May 5. Slated as a core offering of the festival’s popular Art and the City initiative, the production weaves together original music, sharp humor, and intimate storytelling to push audiences toward a deeper examination of the lingering links between Saint Lucia’s colonial past, its current social and economic hurdles, and the transformative changes needed to build a more equitable future.Organized and sponsored by The Repair Campaign, a local advocacy group focused on advancing reparatory justice, *Repair* is designed to open the often complex conversation around reparations to a broad, general audience through approachable, engaging art. Sherween Gonzales, a community organizer based in Saint Lucia who works with The Repair Campaign, explains that the musical frames identity, collective community, and reparatory justice in a format that feels accessible rather than intimidating.

“As an educator, I have long believed that the arts stand as one of the most powerful tools to connect with people across all backgrounds,” Gonzales shared in an interview ahead of the performance. “*Repair* draws audiences in through laughter, song, and relatable narrative, inviting quiet reflection while still asking hard, necessary questions about who we are as a nation, what inherited legacies we carry, and what tangible reparations could look like for the people of Saint Lucia.”

The production features a cast of local Saint Lucian performers bringing the story to life, including Christelle Lee in the lead role of Ma Ayo, and Kolbe Devaux portraying the character Robert. Lee emphasizes that the musical’s core message centers on the unbroken connection between historical harm and modern daily life in Saint Lucia.

“Every part of our lives today is woven through with the legacy of our history,” Lee explained. “The centuries of subjugation, torture, and trauma that our ancestors endured did not stay in the past — it has quietly shaped our collective mindset, influenced how we engage with the world around us, how we view and trust public systems, and even how we show up for one another as community members. That is precisely why this story matters. This play does not lecture; it invites you to reflect, to question, and to reconnect with a history that still lives inside all of us.”

Devaux echoed that sentiment, noting that *Repair* intentionally reframes reparations from a distant, abstract political debate to a relatable, community-centered conversation rooted in Saint Lucian culture. For the cast and organizing team, the goal is to turn what is often seen as a niche policy topic into a personal, shared reflection.

“The question of reparations grows more urgent for our nation every day, and we owe it to our people to seize every opportunity to educate and start conversations,” Devaux said. “For me, bringing this conversation to audiences through theater is the perfect combination of art and activism. It creates a new space to share important information with the public, taking a cultural art form that is often dismissed as just entertainment and reimagining it to create real, meaningful impact for every person who attends. That aligns completely with the core goals our team holds for every performance we do.”

Admission to *Repair* is completely free for all attendees, making the conversation accessible to any member of the public who wishes to participate. The performance is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. at the Anchorage Car Park venue in central Castries.

One of Saint Lucia’s most beloved community-centered jazz celebrations is stepping back into the spotlight this year, bringing with it a renewed sense of cultural connection and shared joy after a temporary pause in programming. Scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 3 at the scenic Fond D’Or Heritage Park, this year’s iteration of the iconic Fond D’Or Jazz event has been crafted as an all-ages, family-friendly cultural showcase that blends world-class musical performance with authentic local heritage.

Unlike many exclusive music festivals, this community-rooted gathering prioritizes accessibility and inclusion, building an experience that welcomes long-time local residents, island visitors, and multi-generational family groups alike. Attendees can expect a dynamic lineup of performances that weaves together global artistry, regional talent, and distinctly Saint Lucian cultural expression, all set against the backdrop of the island’s historic heritage park.

Headlining this year’s revival is Jamaican reggae and soul icon Duane Stephenson, whose soulful sound is set to anchor the event’s main stage. Stephenson will share the spotlight with an impressive roster of Saint Lucia’s most celebrated homegrown performers, including legendary guitarist Ronald ‘Boo’ Hinkson, versatile vocalist Teddyson John, innovative collective Surbance, beloved artist Carl Gustave, and rising talent Avot Sevis. Rounding out the local lineup are the Dennery North and South Steel Bands, whose high-energy, syncopated performances will infuse the day with the iconic rhythmic flair of Caribbean steelpan culture, adding an unmistakeable local heart to the showcase.

For event organizers, the return of Fond D’Or Jazz goes far beyond a simple concert. Cornelius Edmund, chairperson of the Fond D’Or Jazz Committee, framed the revival as a powerful moment of renewal for both the local community and the island’s cultural scene. “Fond D’Or Jazz has always been about bringing people together through music, culture, and community,” Edmund explained in a statement ahead of the event. “After the break, we’re excited to return bigger and better, with a lineup that truly reflects the richness of Saint Lucian talent alongside regional excellence and world-class performances.”

Emphasizing the event’s core mission of inclusion, Edmund noted that every element of this year’s staging was designed to welcome groups of all ages and backgrounds. “This is not just a show; it’s a full cultural and family experience. We want families to come out, enjoy the music, the setting, and reconnect with our heritage in a safe and welcoming environment,” he said.

Organizers project that the 2025 event will draw a mixed crowd of hundreds of local attendees and international visitors, boosting the profile of the Dennery district as a growing cultural destination on Saint Lucia’s east coast. The event’s revival is expected to not only celebrate local and regional jazz and roots music but also strengthen community bonds and reinforce the island’s reputation as a leading hub for Caribbean cultural arts.