St. Lucia Jazz Festival

The St. Lucia Jazz Festival rocks the island of St. Lucia in May of each year. This event was created as a marketing scheme, and has grown to be one of the largest events in the territory. With one main stage and “The Fringe Activities” taking place on separate stages, you’re sure to be entertained. Probably the best thing about the St. Lucia Jazz festival is that it is pretty reasonably priced or even free, which is a rare thing in the Caribbean. The 2008 St. Lucia Jazz Festival Lineup is rocking as well.

Acoustical/straight ahead jazz, new age jazz, fusion, rhythm and blues are represented on the festival’s several stages. Artists perform the festival from around the globe, with acts from the U.S., Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe. The shows run the range from formal performances to smaller late night open air venues and late night club venues to open air picnic style events.

History

As I mentioned above, the St. Lucia Jazz Festival was conceived as a marketing ploy to draw tourists to the island. With tourism playing a major role in the island’s economic development, the powers that be did what they could to entice tourists. The event has two main objectives, according to the website:

To provide a platform to showcase St. Lucia to a broad cross-section of potential visitors
To redress the traditional trough period in May, so that visitor arrivals and occupancy levels would be on par with that of the winter period.

Makes perfect sense.

Festival Rules

Nothing ruins a festival like having to pour out your beer at the front gate. These are the rules listed on the festival website, so make sure when you go, you go prepared.

1. No breakable bottles are allowed at all St. Lucia Jazz venues. All drinks in breakable bottles must be transferred to plastic bottles. All coolers will be searched.

2. Only coolers measuring 36″ x 24″ (3′x 2′) or smaller will be permitted into the Pigeon Island National Landmark. Any cooler in excess of this size will not be permitted inside the grounds.

3. All drinks with stoppers must be properly disposed.

4. No smoking is allowed at the Pigeon Island National Landmark, except in the Benson & Hedges Smoking Area. Please note signage indicating area.

5. No unauthorized filming is permitted at all St. Lucia Jazz venues.

2008 Lineup