Thousands are making their way to Tobago for one of the year’s biggest cultural weekends. The Tobago Jazz Experience, featuring a host of international superstars, like soul singers Lauryn Hill and Maxwell, along with T&T jazz trumpeter, Etienne Charles, and iconic Jamaican reggae band, Third World, will culminate this weekend at the Pigeon Point Heritage Park.
Festival lead organiser, John Arnold, told the T&T Guardian he was satisfied with arrangements for the event and expected the line-up across the weekend would satisfy the audiences.
He was particularly enthusiastic about the new Saturday night offering, Carijazz.
“Previously, the Saturday night show used to be called Youthopia but somehow the main target audience were assuming it wasn’t for them but for a much younger crowd,” Arnold said.
“Carijazz is a night that reflects the Caribbean vibes,” he said. “We have a great combination of Etienne Charles, Arturo Tappin, 3Canal and Third World,” he said.
In terms of ticket sales, Arnold said they were meeting the organisers expectations.
Earlier this month, THA Deputy Chief Secretary and Secretary of Tourism and Transportation Assemblyman Tracy Davidson-Celestine announced that ticket prices were being dropped in order “to help cash-strapped patrons.”
Davidson-Celestine said the organisers were aware of the economic challenges facing many patrons, and the price for general admission for some events had been reduced from $600 to $500.
The prices for the VIP section, however, remain at $1,200 for the Friday and Sunday evening shows.
Tonight, the show features local indie act Inzy, Destra Garcia and her band, Dil E Nadan and the headline act American hip hop artist J Cole.
The Tobago Jazz Experience culminates on Sunday with Imij and Co, Tobagonian singer Adana, jazz musician Clifford Charles and headliners Lauryn Hill and Maxwell.
Every year, the airports are jammed with people trying to get to Tobago and Caribbean Airlines has assured that it has put things in place to accommodate as many people as possible.