Festival News

May 03, 2007 -- Cry Freedom Award ’07 Recipient, Professor Hiliary Beckles to arrive on Island on Friday.

Renowned Caribbean historian, Barbados’ Dr. Hilary Beckles, arrives on the island on Friday and will be at the Sweet Cry Freedom Concert on Saturday May 5th to receive the prestigious Sweet Cry Freedom ’07 award. This year’s award is named for Haitian revolutionary Toussaint L’Ouverture and the award, a painting by renowned St. Lucia artist Arnold Toulon will be presented by the Right Honorable Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer. Read Full Article

May 03, 2007 -- Legendary Jamaican Reggae Star, Barrington Levy replaces Third World in Sweet Cry Freedom Line-up.

Barrington Levy, Jamaica’s #1 singer of all time who remains the perennial favorite of audiences throughout the world has replaced Third World in the line-up for the much-anticipated return of Sweet Cry Freedom ’07.Read Full Article

April 29, 2007 -- Count Down to Sweet Cry ’07 – this coming Saturday

Production is progressing smoothly for the staging of the long-awaited return of what was one of the Caribbean’s top two music festivals. Read Full Article

April 17, 2007 -- Ministry looks to benefit from Sweet Cry Freedom Concert

Antigua & Barbuda’s Director of Tourism in the United States Derede Samuel-Whitlock is confident that the renaissance of the Sweet Cry Freedom Concert will be a plus for the country’s tourism brand. Read Full Article

April 13, 2007 -- Sweet Cry launch to set stage for show

This evening’s official launch of the Sweet Cry Freedom Concert will showcase what is expected to be a grand return of the once annual event. Read Full Article

April 12, 2007 -- Sweet Cry Freedom once again celebrates the best of Caribbean & African-American achievement

Renowned Caribbean historian, Barbados’ Dr. Hilary Beckles, and African-American basketball icon, Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson, are expected to receive the prestigious Sweet Cry Freedom ’07 award, when the groundbreaking Antiguan musical event returns on 5th May 2007. This year’s award is named for Haitian revolutionary Toussaint L’Ouverture. Read Full Article

News

April 29, 2007 -- Count Down to Sweet Cry ’07 – this coming Saturday

Production is progressing smoothly for the staging of the long-awaited return of what was one of the Caribbean’s top two music festivals.

Sweet Cry Freedom ’07 will take place on Saturday May 5th at the Antigua Recreation Ground. The venue, which is centrally located, has all of the facilities that will insure that the large crowd expected to attend has all of the required amenities including covered seating. The producers of the event have introduced an innovative change to the positioning of the stage that now will face the bleachers. This new positioning of the stage will result in persons being able to sit in the Andy Roberts Stand, Richie Richardson Stand and the Bleachers and be able to have a prime view of the proceedings. Additionally, the entire area west of the pitch will accommodate those persons wishing to stand in front of the stage.

A number of changes have been made to the artist line up. These changes have been brought about as a result of Claudette Peters and Tizzy having been co-opted into the team traveling to the UK to promote the Antigua & Barbuda’s 50th Anniversary Celebration of Carnival. Also, unable to perform is the Jamaican song-bird, Alaine who is scheduled to both receive an award and perform at the International Reggae & World Music Awards, which will be held on the same night in New York at the Apollo Theatre. These artist are being replaced by:- Freddie McGregor – the internationally acclaimed, Grammy-nominated singer & producer who is a member of the 12 tribes organization; Eddie Mello, the current Calypso King of Antigua & Barbuda and new recording artists – General P and Flora Haywood. Also, appearing will be Los Mortales with DJ Alex and Nature Kid representing the Spanish and Guyanese communities respectively.

With 5 days to go, the excitement continues to build up for the climax of the Sailing Week activities – SCF ‘07. It is Antigua & Barbuda’s time now!