Plans Well Advanced for National Emancipation Vigil at Seville Heritage Park

Plans are well advanced for the staging of the National Emancipation Vigil and Jubilee Celebrations 2007, to be held at the Seville Heritage Park in St. Ann on July 31.
The event, which is expected to attract thousands of Jamaicans as well as foreigners, is being staged by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT), in collaboration with the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC).
“It’s going to be a really big event. We are going to be having lots of cultural items, lots of drumming, lots of dancing, lots of traditional folk forms and lots of exhibitions. The big thing about this year is that the event is free as a gift to the people of Jamaica and as a tribute to our African ancestors,” Director of Communications for the JNHT, Joan Andrea Hutchinson, told JIS News.
She informed that the event would begin at 7:00 p.m. and that there would be a civic ceremony at 11:00 p.m., in which Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, Leader of the Opposition, Bruce Golding and other specially invited guests are expected to participate.
“After midnight there will be a big celebration and all of this is a tribute to our African ancestors who worked really hard for the freedom we now enjoy,” she said.
The entertainment package, she said, would include the Manchioneal Cultural Group, the Port Morant Kumina Group, St. Ann Senior Citizens, Innswood Drummers, Carifolk Singers, Pantomime Company, Taurus Riley, Yasus Afari, Jimmy Riley, Christopher Martin, One Third, Akwaaba, Rohan Blair, Noretta Lewis, RB Singers, Dance Xpressions, Poppular Song winner, Gunty and Gospel Song Contest Winner, Garfield Reid, among others.
“So come out and join us as we celebrate the life, the work and the legacy of our African ancestors,” Miss Hutchinson urged, adding that persons should take their enamel mugs along with them for the usual free chocolate tea.