Pan, Brass and Soca Festival to be highlighted at Cricket Carnival 2023

September 5, 2023

Anticipation is reaching a fever pitch as Cricket Carnival 2023 approaches, and there is no denying the visible excitement building for the eagerly awaited ‘Pan, Brass and Soca Festival on the Beach’ on Thursday, September 21 at the Mariott Beach.

This event is poised to attract a diverse array of Guyanese from every corner of the country, promising a day of wholesome, spirited enjoyment under the unifying ‘One Guyana’ umbrella.

Director of National Events, Andrew Tyndall told the Department of Public Information (DPI) on Tuesday, said the event promises to be a highlight of Cricket Carnival offering something for everyone to enjoy.

“Pan, Brass and Soca Festival on the Beach is going to be the most exciting for Cricket Carnival. It’s an event for the entire family, from your granny to your baby, to enjoy nice, clean fun.”

The festival features an impressive lineup with some of the finest steel bands in Guyana set to grace the stage such as the Guyana Police Force Steel Band, the Guyana Defence Force Steel Band, Pan Groove Steel Orchestra, Parkside Steel Orchestra, and the reigning Panorama Champions, the Kunjaz Steel Orchestra.

Additionally, a special performance by the NCG Labera Steel Orchestra, a Trinidadian Steel Band, will grace the event. The evening will culminate in a true carnival atmosphere with juggling by DJ Energy.

Meanwhile, Tyndall, who has been at the helm of steelpan events since 2009, highlighted the tremendous growth of steelpan in Guyana.

“I must say that Pan has really taken off in Guyana,” Tyndall exclaimed. “When I took over Steelpan in 2009 for the competition, we had about 150 to 250 persons coming out to the event.

Now, the last pan event we had, we had over 5,000 persons attending, and we don’t expect any different for Pan Brass and Soca Festival on the Beach,” he said.

To this end, he took a moment to recognise the vital role of the Republic Bank in supporting steelpan development in Guyana over the past 15 years.

“They have been sponsoring workshops, they have been sponsoring training sessions for school children, and they are the main sponsor for Panorama and also the carnival steel pan activities. We are thankful to Republic Bank for their sponsorship and continued support in steel pan development in Guyana,” he emphasised.