------PRESS RELEASE------
For Immediate Release
Caribbean Arts & Crafts Festival Events Line Up
29 February 2008 - Trellis Bay, Beef Island, British Virgin Islands – The Caribbean Artisan Network expects a record turn out this year at the 2008 Caribbean Arts and Crafts Festival which takes place from 7 March through 12 March. Over 50 Artisans are registered from throughout the Caribbean including 11 from Trinidad alone. New to the festival are Artisans coming from as far away as the Bahamas and the USA as well as several new participants from the BVI including Coconut Republic from Virgin Gorda.
The Festivals welcome celebration on Friday 7 March which starts at 5:30pm in Trellis Bay includes a preview, food, drink, music and a dedication to one of the BVI’s Master Crafts People.
Each year, the event is dedicated to a master crafts man or woman whose work is outstanding in his or her area and who is committed through craft to preserving Caribbean tradition. This year’s event is being dedicated to BVI crafts woman Trinita Hodge, a master cloth doll maker, whose work is both contemporary and provocative. Her detailed dolls are as much for adults as for children with many of her dolls being blessed with anatomically correct body parts. Aside from displaying and selling her work at the festival, Trinita’s dolls are available for sale at the Folk Museum on Main Street in Road Town.
The festival continues on Saturday 8 March through Monday 10 March in Trellis Bay. Tuesday 11 March, the artisans move their stalls to Virgin Gorda and will set up in Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour for the day starting at 10am. Wednesday 12 March, the artisans relocate to central Road Town and can be visited in Palm Grove Park.
A fund raising raffle for this non-profit event is currently ongoing. Tickets may be purchased and raffle prizes may be seen on display at Aragorn’s Studio in Trellis Bay. Tickets are $5.00 each and prizes, which include hand made jewellery, pottery, tote bags, baskets, art works and more have been donated by many of the crafts people and each item is valued at $50 or more. The raffle will take place on Saturday afternoon 8 March in Trellis and raffle ticket holders need not be present to win.
Artisans may still register for space up until Friday 7 March and are encouraged to do so by contacting Erin at Aragorn’s Studio: 495-1849. More information can be found on the web at: www.caribbeanartisan.net.
The Festival is sponsored by Aragorn’s Studio, The Trellis Bay Cyber Café, The Office of the Governor of the BVI, Caribbean Travel and Life Magazine, OBM, Raffles Tortola, Appleby Global, Myett’s, The Moorings, BVI Yacht Charters, Necker Island, Rosewood Little Dix Bay, The Jaracki Family Foundation, LIAT, Putamayo World Music, Quorum, and many donations from private patrons.
------END------
Contact Information:
Web: www.caribbeanartisan.net
Email:
Aragorn’s Studio – Aragorn Dick-Read or Annie Westcott-MacPhail
Trellis Bay, British Virgin Islands
Email: Tel: 284-442-0810
Tel: 284-495-1849 or 284-542-0586