2017 Nine Mornings Festival hailed a success

Despite the rainy weather and the inconvenience of attending an event at 4 a.m., the 2017 Nine Mornings Festival has been pronounced a huge success.

Nine Mornings Committee chair Michael Peters said although it rained every day, huge crowds attended. Among the crowds were many persons who were here on vacation.

“The final morning I stood on the stage at 8:30 and I said we done, and I looked at the size of the crowd at 8:30 on Sunday the 24th and I say we got something good going on here,” Peters said.

Each morning, at various locations throughout the country, the event usually lasts from 4 a.m. to 7 a.m., from December 16 to 24.

This year’s festival started out with 44 participating communities and ended with 47, which deputy chair Lennox Bowman said was inspiring, especially in relation to the many children who attended throughout the country.

“It is truly awe-inspiring and to just see people respond – the kids coming out in their numbers. Every morning Stubbs full, Richland Park full, across the road in Carriere full; it is amazing. Up in Point everybody; people get up in the morning early, they had all their Nine Mornings.

“In Vermont had Nine Mornings, Barrouallie, Coulls Hill was a sight. The whole of North Leeward: Rose Hall, Rose Bank, Fitz-Hughes. In the Grenadines we had some beautiful lights and one or two concerts,” Bowman said.

Peters and Bowman also acknowledged that no serious crimes were reported in the country during the nine days of activities, which, according to this year’s theme, ‘Spreading the Love’, Peters hopes would continue into 2018, by spreading the love over all boundaries.

The Nine Mornings chairperson said he was happy with the 2017 festival and plans are already being made for the 2018 Nine Mornings Festival, which will be the 20th anniversary since the reorganization of the festival in 1998. He said the committee has worked very hard over the years to maintain an environment in which people from various backgrounds can enjoy the activity, despite heavy criticism.

He said the defining moment this year was when a mentally challenged girl took the opportunity at the event to sing a song.

Peters said this happened because they had created that environment for even disabled persons to feel comfortable.

He rejected criticisms that there were too many gospel acts at the Nine Mornings events, saying that Christmas is the celebration of Christ.

The overall winner of the Best Lit Community award is Point Village, which has won the title for the fifth time. In second place is Rose Bank, while third place was copped by Belvedere, with fourth place being a tie between Rose Hall and Town Hill.(CB)