Marcia Rowe, Gleaner Writer

The unmistakable sound of mento rhythm floated over the transformed gardens at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel. Beneath, guests viewed multimedia presentations of past festival events that reaffirmed the richness of Jamaica's history and culture. Then, there were brief speeches, the launch of the festival theme song, very entertaining performances and beautiful fashion displays created by local designers.

The occasion was the launch of Jamaica Festival 2K9: I Believe in Jamaica!, last Wednesday evening.

The main address was given by Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Olivia Grange. "The theme, I believe in Jamaica, is a powerful statement. It is a call to action to every Jamaican," she said. She further stated that the festival will provide a national stage for the various cultural events.

Major festival-related events

But while festival officially begins at the end of July, Grange believes that the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) Festival of the Arts competition in May is the true beginning, as the best of this event are showcased at all other major festival-related events.

On hand to give credence to the minister's observation were students of St Hugh's Preparatory School singing Caribbean Medley. The all-boy speech choir from Clan Carthy High School, with their original dub poem Jamaica Pon Top, had the guests laughing with their witty and creative lines. Both groups are national finalists in the Festival of the Arts competition.

Master of ceremonies Dervan Malcolm remarked that the theme song affirms the Jamaican psyche. The Mikie Bennett-penned song was then introduced to the audience with the help of a dance from students of Eltham High School, wearing festival costumes.

Local designers offered a sneak preview of what they have in store for the festive season. The designs ranged from swimwear to semi-formal, mainly catering for women, with only a few for men. They were creative and energetic in style and colour coordination, which resulted in some of the guests shouting "Mi love that one".

Among the designers' works on show were Barry Moncrieffe, Judith Duncan, Simone Gordon, Sandra Kennedy, Tanya Cameron and Sun Island. The clothes were worn by Jahnai models.

Independence Float Parade

Another aspect of Jamaica Festival 2K9 will be the Independence Float Parade. The designs for the floats were also on show. Their theme spans a wide cross section of Jamaica's history and culture: Kas Kas, Election Carnival, Independence Day, Crunch Time and Make It or Break It. Danielle Hopkins, public relations coordinator at the JCDC, explains that there are currently six designs but hopes to add more with the help of sponsors.

Representing the sponsors, Wayne Miller, head of marketing, Digicel Jamaica Ltd, said he applauds the JCDC for "continuing to unearth talents" and acknowledged "its significant contribution to our heritage".

Hugh E. Nash, chairman of the JCDC Board of Commissioners, thanked the media.

Media's influence

"Without the media, festival would not have grown and without festival the media would not have grown," said Nash. He also thanked the volunteers in all the parishes and the current sponsors and encouraged others to come on-board before the festival ship sets sail.

Some fantastic events will precede Jamaica Festival, which runs from July 31 to August 6. These include Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Coronation Show, National Visual Arts Opening and Awards Ceremony, Festival Fashions and Jamaica Festival Song Finals. All promise to be exciting affairs.