The 2007 Nine Mornings Festival will begin in earnest this Saturday morning with street concerts and other activities in Kingstown and other communities around the country, starting at 4:00 a.m.{{more}}

The festival, which was reorganised in 1999, is unique to St. Vincent and the Grenadines and attracts large numbers of visitors and returning nationals to the festivities.

This year, the National Nine Mornings Committee is seeking to expand on the range of activities available. The major programme, which is held in Kingstown, will see the addition of fun sports and bicycle races. On the main stage on Bay Street, the Cathedral of the Assumption will start with devotions. Also scheduled to appear will be the New Life Ambassadors, La Gracia Dancers, Avenue Dancers, Roland Bowman, Hebrew Boys, Sulle and the Sion Hill Euphonium Steel Orchestra. In addition, there will be the usual opportunity for kids, adults, returning nationals and visitors to participate in a wide range of fun events.

For the first time in many years, fun sports and bicycle races will be part of the festivities. A wide range of fun sports coordinated by the Rose Place Action Committee will be held each morning on Heritage Square. The SVG Cycling Association will also be staging a number of races and novelty events on Halifax Street. These events also include the appearance of traditional lighted bicycle and tricycle races. Carriere, which won the Best Nine Mornings Community, and Rose Hall, which was awarded the Best Christmas Community, will also be starting the defence of their titles on Saturday morning. The festivities will continue all weekend with various communities also lighting up. New Grounds are the defending Community Lighting champion.

Nine Mornings in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is being celebrated from December 15th to 24th under the theme: “Celebrating a unique Vincentian tradition”