Inaugural FAM Festival to promote tourism, Guyanese culture
THE inaugural Guyana Food, Arts and Music (FAM) Festival, billed for May 26 and 27, is being regarded as a celebration of the country’s people and culture.
It will be staged at the National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara, as part of the Annual Independence programme. Starting at 14:00hrs, it will continue through midnight, each day, ending with exhilarating music concerts and is slated to attract scores of Guyanese and visitors from across the Caribbean and the Diaspora.
For the first time, Reggae Royalty and Multi-Grammy Award Winner, Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley, son of the legendary Bob Marley, will be performing here, live, with his entire band.
Also to perform is an impressive line-up of regional and local entertainers.
The family oriented event will include some 20 live musical, cultural and theatrical performances; arts, craft and fashion displays by ten fashion designers; authentic Guyanese food with interactive cooking demonstrations (African, Chinese, Amerindian, Indian); booths showcasing cuisine from neighbouring countries (Brazil, Suriname, Venezuela, Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica); a talent show featuring undiscovered and up and coming performers; a tourism booth promoting local tourist destinations and a children’s zone, highlighting child-friendly activities and learning experiences.
Speaking at the official inauguration of the much-anticipated happening, last Friday, in the boardroom of the Ministry of Housing and Water, on Brickdam, Georgetown, Acting Minister of Tourism, Mr. Irfaan Ali said it is, indeed, an exciting occurrence for Guyana.
He said, all across the Caribbean, such events form the basis or the core of the tourism products, in terms of the promotion of the countries and their culture for the purpose.

Cultural mix
Ali said Guyana has, long, been known for its cultural mix, variety in food, arts and music. “We believe, strongly, that we have a product that is mature enough to take the international stage.”
As such, he said, this year, the Tourism Ministry is marketing Destination Guyana under the theme ‘Rediscover Home’, pointing out that a lot of people have families of Guyanese parentage but are not connected, in any way, with the rich culture, food, music and traditions of the country.
“And we thought that this event would be one that would offer that opportunity to our brothers and sisters living outside of Guyana and, more specifically, it would ignite tremendous interest, growth and development in the Tourism Sector whilst, at the same time, giving us this distinct opportunity of showcasing our culture, our music and our art,” Ali explained.
He reminded that the occasion is taking place in a period that is very special for Guyana, with May being regarded as the month of arrival.
“This event is for the celebration of the people and culture of Guyana. This event is not any specific group event. This is the first such Guyanese event. It is what Guyana is about,” Ali emphasised.
He said the Government and the Private Sector have come together, in partnership, to ensure the success of this venture and congratulated the team of organisers for their dynamic work, energy and commitment in taking this initiative forward.
This is a true public/private partnership, with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) on board, as well, Ali pointed out.
He reiterated that Guyana will be celebrating its Independence Anniversary in style, this time with its first ever FAM Festival and assured that the occurrence will now be on the Ministry’s calendar of activities.

Tourism product
“We are going to build our tourism product around this event in the future. The FAM Festival is now going to be regarded as the core tourism event for us and it comes at a time, every year, when we will be celebrating our Independence,” Ali remarked.
He said Caribbean Airlines, EZjet and Surinam Airways are also on board, offering special fares and the FAM Festival would be on Caribbean Airlines in-flight video.
Ali announced that work is being done to establish a special section at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, where persons coming into Guyana during this month can access information on the festival and a package about it with places such as Princess Hotel.
“All of this would be part of ensuring that the tourism aspect of this event is highlighted and promoted,” the Minister disclosed.
He said the arts and craft producers from across the country will also be able to promote their businesses through this avenue which would open up, too, opportunities for local performers among others.
Additionally, Minister Ali revealed that the intention is to celebrate Guyana on Independence morning, by attracting Guyanese to the Food Village at the National Stadium to “have breakfast together.”
The Coordinator, Ms. Lisa Insanally said this festival has been in the making for a while, since the need to have such an occurrence was recognised and she hopes it will attract, to the country, a lot of visitors who would enjoy Guyana in its entirety.
She encouraged the business community to get involved and help promote the country.
Saturday, May 26 is Jazz and Reggae Night with performances by Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley, First Born, Alabama, Mystic and Jory, while Sunday, May 27 is Calypso, Soca and Chutney Night with Rikki Jai, D Hitman, Sally Sagram, Adrian Dutchin, Jomo, Shelly G, Fiona, Priya and King Shepherd on stage.
Single day entry for adults will be $3,000 and $1,500 for children. Two-day passes for adults cost $5,000 and $2,500 for children. VIP tickets will be $20,000 for a day and two-day passes would cost $35,000.
More information can be gleaned from a visit to the website www.guyanafamfestival.com.