Jump and Wave at the
9th annual Barbados on the Water festival
June 17 through June 19 at Harbourfront Centre

TORONTO, May 19, 2005– Canada's largest celebration of Barbadian culture gets even bigger this year with music concerts on the CIBC Stage by legendary Calypso stars The Mighty Gabby with Andy Earle, JEGNA featuring John King performing in the Brigantine Room as well as smooth jazzers NEWA with special guest Eyan Alleyne. Unique theatrical dance performance by Israel Lovell Foundation's amazing 25-member dance, music and theatre company is complemented by the return of the Laff-it-Off comedy troupe who bring the Toronto premiere of their new show AAAAAAmen. Culinary and cricket demonstrations, dancing,  music, comedy and kite-making, and more can also be expected throughout the weekend! Some events are ticketed. For tickets and information, the public can call 416-973-4000 or visit www.harbourfrontcentre.com.  (complete listings, dates and times follow)

Be prepared to sprinkle lightly with lemon on Friday evening at A Taste of Barbados Fish Fry cooking up hot plates of Bajan food to satisfy your appetite. Rhythm poet, UN Spokesperson, and author Aja opens a double-bill evening with a set of spoken word in the Brigantine Room on Friday. Classic jump-up soca and calypso from JEGNA featuring versatile vocalist John King follows, in the first of two nights of sizzlin' performances. (June 17 & 18, 10 p.m., Tickets $20 advance/$25 day of). Returning from last year’s sold-out run, Comedy troupe Laff-It-Off engage in Barbadian satirical humour at the Studio theatre for the Toronto premiere of their new show AAAAAAmen beginning Friday night (June 17 at 7:30 p.m., June 18 at 8 p.m., June 19 at 2 p.m., Tickets $12 for all performances).  

Kids can to channel their creativity at Chris Chandler’s Mural Making near the Toronto Star Stage (June 18 only, noon to 4 p.m.) or participate in a traditional Barbadian Kite Making workshop with Walter Broomes in the Kids Zone Tent (June 19 only, noon to 4 p.m.). Storytellers Gregory Fitt and Itah Sadu weave tall tales inside in the Zoom Room in the afternoon (June 18 & 19, 1 p.m. and June 18, 3:30 p.m.).

Adults can once again enjoy rum tasting and tasty fried fish morsels through the weekend afternoons in the World Café. Chef Peter Edey demonstrates his world class culinary skills. (June 18, 2 p.m & 3:45 p.m. and June 19, 3 p.m.)

Saturday and Sunday,  celebrating his 30th year as a Calypsonian, The Mighty Gabby (the official Cultural Envoy/Ambassador of Barbados) performs free concerts with Blues inspired Andy Earle (June 18 at 2 p.m. and June 19 at 4:30 p.m.). The Israel Lovell Foundation Dance Company launch into a mesmerizing theatrical dance performance on the CIBC Stage (June 18 & 19 at 5:30 p.m.) as well as leading a dance and drumming workshop in the Lakeside Terrace (June 19 at 3:30 p.m.) Trevor Walcott & The Tropical Islanders Steel Pan Band and violinist Susan MacIntosh each perform on the Toronto Star Stage (June 18 at 3:30 p.m and  at 5 p.m.) Aja returns to the Studio Theatre stage on Saturday to launch his e-book on the fight against poverty.
(June 18 at 4 p.m.)

Rounding out the weekend fun on Sunday afternoon, a West Indian cricket pitch will be set up for a Cricket demonstration with the narrative provided by the world's greatest opening pair Desmond Haynes and Gordon Greenidge. One of the world’s leading cricket sociologists and author Keith Sandiford reads from The Imperial Game: Cricket, Culture and Society immediately following the demo in the Lakeside Terrace. Roger Gibbs performs calypso on the Toronto Star Stage.

The ninth annual Barbados on the Water festival is presented by Harbourfront Centre in partnership with the Barbados Tourism Authority, the Consulate General of Barbados and the National Cultural Foundation of Barbados.

Barbados on the Water
Complete Event Listings – June 17 to 19, 2005
For ticketed events, tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 416-973-4000 or visiting www.harbourfrontcentre.com ON SALE date is Tuesday, May 24, 2005.

Friday June 17
Visual Art – Barbados Visual Arts Exhibition (6 p.m. to midnight - Marilyn Brewer)
Comedy - Laff it Off  present AAAAAAmen (7:30 p.m. – Studio Theatre) Tickets $12
Food – A Taste of Barbados Fish Fry (6 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. – Sculpture Court)
Music/Spoken Word – Rhythm Poet Aja and Soca/Calypso legend John King & JEGNA (10 p.m. – Brigantine Room) Tix $20 adv./$25 day of 

Saturday June 18
Visual Art – Barbados Visual Arts Exhibition (12 p.m. to midnight – Marilyn Brewer) free
Kids/Visual Art – Mural Making with Chris Chandler (12 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Ave of Trees)
Food- A Taste of Barbados Fish Fry (12 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. –World Café)
Kids/Literary - Storyteller Gregory Fitt (1 p.m. – Zoom Room) free
Food – Mount Gay Rum Tasting (2 p.m. – 5 p.m. – World Café)
Music - The Mighty Gabby & Andy Earle (2 p.m. – CIBC Stage) free
Food - Chef Peter Edey (2 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. – Lakeside Terrace Tent)
Kids/Literary – Storyteller Ita Sadu (3:30 p.m. – Zoom Room) free
Music- Trevor Walcott & The Tropical Islanders Steel Pan Band (3:30 p.m.-Toronto Star Stage) free
Books/Talk– Rhythm Poet & UN Spokesperson Aja e-book launch on the fight against poverty (4 p.m. – Studio Theatre) free
Music – Violinist Susan MacIntosh (5 p.m. – Toronto Star Stage) free
Dance - Israel Lovell Foundation (5:30 p.m. – CIBC Stage) free
Comedy –Laff it Off present AAAAAAmen  (8 p.m. – Studio Theatre) Tickets $12
Music – Soca/Calypso legend John King & JEGNA (10 p.m. – Brigantine Room) Tix $20 adv./$25 day of 

Sunday June 19
Visual Art – Barbados Visual Arts Exhibition (12 p.m. to 6 p.m.– Marilyn Brewer) free
Food- A Taste of Barbados Fish Fry (12 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – World Café)
Visual Art – Mural Demonstration with Chris Chandler (12 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Kids Zone Tent) free
Kids/Workshop- Trad. Kite Making w/Walter Broomes (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.– Kids Zone Tent) free
Sport – Cricket Demonstration w/ Desmond Haynes and Gordon Greenidge (12 p.m. – Toronto Star Stage) free
Literary/Reading – Leading cricket sociologist Keith Sandiford (1 p.m. – Lakeside Terrace) free
Kids/Literary - Storyteller Gregory Fitt (1 p.m. – Zoom Room) free
Music – Calypsonian Roger Gibbs (1 p.m. – Toronto Star Stage) free
Food – Mount Gay Rum Tasting (2 p.m. to 5 p.m. – World Café)
Comedy – Comedy Troupe Laff it Off present AAAAAAmen (2 p.m. – Studio Theatre) Tix $12
Music – Smooth Jazz w/NEWA & Eyan Alleyne (2:30 p.m. – CIBC Stage) free
Food/Workshop - Chef Peter Edey (3 p.m. – Lakeside Terrace Tent)
Dance/Workshop - drum & dance: Israel Lovell Foundation (3:30 p.m. – Lakeside Terrace) free
Music – Calypso singer The Mighty Gabby w/Andy Earle (4:30 p.m.–Toronto Star Stage) free
Dance - Israel Lovell Foundation (5:30 p.m. – CIBC Stage) free

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Media Contacts:
Gail Stewart - Stewart Communications - 416-410-7193, gail.stewart@allstream.net
Rebecca Webster- Harbourfront Centre - 416-973-4518, rwebster@harbourfrontcentre.com