The INSIDE Scoop on Great Fete Weekend 2010

The INSIDE scoop examines the products of The Trinidad Entertainment Industry. We take it apart and analyze things progressively and objectively.

Each year, for Trinbagoian party goers, the Sandbox Great Fete Weekend is the center of attention during the July - August holiday season. Over the years Great Fete has progressed from a Great Race after party to a five night tourist attraction. Much more than a party, Great Fete is definitely a festival hosting the Caribbean's best artiste, Djs and Sounds Systems. For The EEEmpire, Great Fete represents a culture unique to Trinidad and Tobago, a culture where the freedom of mind, body and soul for hours into the blazing Sun means everything. The dead of night is permanently broken each week by relentless party goers regardless of the province, neighborhood, area, city or borough. It is this culture that influences the annual pilgrimage of hundreds of people to Tobago for Great Fete Weekend.

Great Fete allows the average patron to enjoy 5 nights of non stop fun all made accessible by your Great Fete Pass. The parties begin around 10pm and end well into daylight on the following day. The unbridled misbehavior and basic jubilance of this festival stretches throughout the weekend. Many say that apart from the parties, the real experience is the time spent in Tobago away from home, living with your party mates. Whatever it may be, experiences of Great Fete Weekends past have left such an indelible impression on the minds of people that the pilgrimage will continue for an eleventh time this year. The theme for Great Fete Weekend 2010 is "I love Great Fete". To better satisfy the voracious appetites of party goers, this year's Great Fete is now planned to be six nights.

The EEEmpire had an opportunity to catch up with Kevan Gibbs, Great Fete Godfather who was happy to inveigle our imagination with exciting visualizations of Great Fete 2010.

EEEmpire News: I notice this year is SIX days of fun, why the extra day?

Kevan Gibbs: Yes the extra night is Monday night. August the second to be exact. This is actually not the first time Great Fete was a full six nights of fun. We do it because Monday is a National Holiday

EEEmpire News: Interesting, how many times was this done before?

Kevan Gibbs: Too many times and too long ago to remember . But anytime Emancipation holiday falls on a Monday we introduce the additional night.

EEEmpire News: Quite exciting, did it work out well in previous years?

Kevan Gibbs: People loved it! They are allowed a bonus night which has been always very well received by patrons. Its amazing that most patrons seem reluctant to leave even on the last day.

EEEmpire News: Tell me some of the differences to be expected this year in terms of the general organisation of the Great Fete Weekend? 

Kevan Gibbs: Well there will be a general overhaul on parking effectively eliminating many of the parking woes experienced in previous years. There will also be easier access for people to make their way into the heart of the party. One improvement made in Great Fete 2009 was the inclusion of an elevated VIP section. This year we are increasing the size of the VIP area to facilitate patrons who prefer a more laid back and relaxed setting for their Great Fete experience.

EEmpire News: What about the entertainment in Great Fete, how do you plan to top last year's show?

Kevan GIbbs: Hmmm, where to start. This year there will be MORE live acts. Artiste will be accompanied by their FULL Band. Patrons will get that full concert experience with more international acts and more Djs than ever before. And of course, the free drinks nights will be maintained.

EEEmpire News: That is music to my ears. That parking issue is a personal pet peeve. I noticed this year the theme for Great Fete 2010 is " I Love Great Fete". What inspired this?

Kevan Gibbs: SImply because. everyone keeps stopping me in the malls, on the road, on facebook, on twitter... everywhere.. Just to tell me "I LOVE GREAT FETE" and I do. 

Don't you? 

EEEmpire News: Well I think I love it almost as much as you yes. Tell me some more.

Kevan Gibbs: Even DJ and Artiste echoed these sentiments. Busy Signal was our headline act on Great Fete Saturday last year. His manager me called to get the video of Busy Signal's performance last year he told me how much they loved the experience.Doug E Slughter, Sel Construction, Devon Matthews, PStar 2.0, Shall Marshal  and even Cutty Ranks expressed this love to me personally. 

EEEmpire News: When can people expect to purchase early bird season passes? What is the starting price? 

Kevan Gibbs: We would release Great Fete Season Passes to committee members on April 15th at $550ttd. 

EEEmpire News: In the midst of the Caribbean's drought, how does Great Fete plan to maintain its appeal for highly anticipated Wet Fete Saturday?

Kevan Gibbs: Well Sandbox is committed to ensure patrons have the ultimate experience regardless. So Wet Fete will always be a Wet Fete. Maybe God will smile upon us and allow rain to fall, but we have put mechanisms in place to ensure that on Saturday 31st of July the water hose will spray water!

EEEmpire News: Send a message to patrons, what would you like to tell them about Great Fete Weekend 2010 this year!?

Kevan Gibbs: Expect everything you love and more!

Comment below and Tell us what YOU want to see added to the Sandbox Great Fete Weekend this year!