SXM FESTIVAL POISED FOR START OF FIFTH EDITION!!
SXM Festival Starts Fifth Edition on St Martin
Mighty Dow’s Ebony Steel Orchestra stole the limelight at Tuesday’s press conference in Hommage Hotel launching the fifth edition of SXM Festival in Happy Bay today, as his band of young musicians gave a captivated audience several samples of their techno-infused steel pan music. The project conceived by festival organiser Julian Arbia to blend steel pan with techno as a way to bring local culture to the forefront of the festival has been a very successful collaboration of Dow and the organisers, the first time the festival has taken this direction. Some of the main stakeholders were present for the press conference, including representatives of the two respective tourism offices, and the French side’s Club du Tourisme. President of the Dutch side’s Parliament Rolando Brison was also in the audience.
“This is a very exciting comeback for us,” said Krystel Arbia in her introduction. “We’ve worked really hard with government officials and all of our economic partners and suppliers on the island to make it happen. Helping us prepare have been over 70 local companies and over 95 workers. We hope we will have 7,000 participants. We continue to dream big.” She said the festival takes a full year of preparation and during that time the island is being constantly promoted. “We want St. Martiners to take possession of SXM Festival,” she added. “We want to show the world how friendly and happy we all are here. Our video and camera teams are testament to that as they go around the island interacting with the population. They have been welcomed with an open heart.”
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