13th Annual St. Kitts Music Festival June 25-27, 2009

Basseterre, St. Kitts - Now enjoying its 13th anniversary, the multi-genre St. Kitts Music Festival will be held this year over three nights from June 25 to 27, 2009.

While providing a platform for Caribbean artists, the event has previously attracted such popular and in-demand acts as John Legend, Billy Ocean, Michael Bolton, Wyclef Jean, Ne-Yo, Air Supply, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers, Boyz II Men, Mario, Ashanti, Shaggy, Eve, the Temptations, Chaka Khan, Busta Rhymes, Marchel Montano and more. Artists performing at this years Festival will be announced over the next few weeks.

The annual St. Kitts Music Festival is the perfect opportunity for Caribbean-Americans to explore their roots more deeply through music. It is the only Caribbean music festival to feature such a widely varied mix of musical styles, lending it appeal to all genuine music lovers.

Among the many genres of music represented at the St Kitts Music Festival are soca, calypso, reggae, dance hall, R&B, hip-hop, zouk and jazz. Typically held over the last weekend in June, the Music Festival is also ideally timed in conjunction with the conclusion of Black Music Month, which pays tribute to music originating from black culture.

Music is an important part of our Caribbean way of life today, as it has been throughout our history, said Senator Ricky Skerritt, Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism, Sports & Culture. Hosting premier music industry events like the annual St. Kitts Music Festival allows us to support local, regional and international artistes while simultaneously attracting Caribbean nationals and other tourists who have a strong desire to experience music as part of an overall vacation experience that connects them to our local people and culture.

After enjoying Music Festival at night, St. Kitts offers a wealth of attractions during the day for those interested in exploring more than just the musical aspect of an Afro-Caribbean heritage.

In capital city Basseterre, Independence Square was the site of the islands slave market during the colonial period and is now home to a striking memorial. In the North, the massive Brimstone Hill Fortress (an UNESCO World Heritage Site) was built using slave labor over approximately a 100-year period.

Former sugar plantations that once were home to hundreds of slaves brought in by settlers to work the fields can be spotted throughout the landscape. Circling the island using the original train tracks that brought the sugar cane from the plantations to the factory in Basseterre, the St. Kitts Scenic Railway is now the Caribbeans only scenic passenger train. Its choir members wear traditional clothing and serenade passengers with their unique folkloric songs while authentic Kittitian sugar cakes are served.

During Carnival on St. Kitts, which is held annually between Boxing Day (December 26) and New Years Day, harmonious tunes and rhythms reflecting a distinctive blend of sounds developed from the islands African and Caribbean roots are played throughout nearly every activity from authentic and elaborate costumed parades, street jams and calypso competitions to traditional plays such as the Bull and Bear, lively masquerades performing folkloric dances and more.

Visitors can also visit the National Museum for an in-depth look at the various elements of African culture and history that can be found on St. Kitts